Drought in Rabun, Georgia

A protracted period of abnormally dry weather that began in autumn of 2025 and continued through the winter culminated in extreme drought conditions across northeast Georgia by early spring. Monthly precipitation was anywhere from 25 percent to 75 percent of normal for seven consecutive months beginning in September 2025. The September through March period was one of the top 10 driest on record across the area. Unusually warm weather developing during March and April of 2026 exacerbated drought impacts. Both months were among the top 5 warmest on record at most major climate sites across the region. By early April, streamflow across the region was 25 to 50 percent of normal. Soil moisture levels were extremely low and only poor-to-fair crop conditions were reported during the critical spring planting period. By the end of April, drought status had been upgraded to exceptional across portions of the Piedmont.