Drought in Stephens County, GA: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Stephens County, GA: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (36 wk), 2002 (50 wk), 2006 (19 wk), 2007 (37 wk), 2008 (53 wk), 2009 (18 wk), 2011 (22 wk), 2012 (23 wk), 2016 (36 wk), 2017 (21 wk) and 2024 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2021.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Nov peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of GA

36th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Hall County (4.6 in 10) and Carroll County (4.6 in 10). Driest in GA: Berrien County (5.8 in 10). Least drought: Gilmer County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Nov (42% of weeks), then May (37%) and Dec (35%). Least in Mar (25%). May to September averages 31%.

33 Jan
27 Feb
25 Mar
31 Apr
37 May
31 Jun
32 Jul
28 Aug
28 Sep
32 Oct
42 Nov
35 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 31.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 19.7% at D2, 9.6% at D3, 46 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 107 weeks, Apr 24, 2007 to May 5, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 24 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.