Drought in Whitfield County, GA: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Whitfield County, GA: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (25 wk), 2002 (19 wk), 2007 (45 wk), 2008 (53 wk), 2016 (35 wk), 2017 (16 wk), 2023 (13 wk) and 2024 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2021.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Feb, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of GA

148th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Catoosa County (3.5 in 10) and McIntosh County (3.5 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 Feb (29% of weeks), then Oct (29%) and Nov (28%). Least in Apr (20%). May to September averages 24%.

27 Jan
29 Feb
26 Mar
20 Apr
23 May
23 Jun
26 Jul
24 Aug
24 Sep
29 Oct
28 Nov
21 Dec

The worst year: 2008

2008: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 24.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 15.1% at D2, 6.9% at D3, 49 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 96 weeks, Mar 13, 2007 to Jan 6, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 30 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.