Drought Information Statement for North and Central Georgia
Valid November 13, 2025
Issued By: NWS Atlanta / Peachtree City, GA
Contact Information: sr-ffc.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated early on November 25, 2025 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/ffc/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/ffc/drought for additional resources.
EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSIST IN GEORGIA
Despite a more active pattern in the last two weeks, nearly status quo drought conditions continue over north and central Georgia.
Without additional, meaningful rainfall, drought expansion will continue in the coming weeks.

1

U.S. Drought Monitor
Link to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for Georgia

Drought intensity and extent for north and central Georgia:
D4 (Exceptional Drought): None.
D3 (Extreme Drought): Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding
D2 (Severe Drought): Carroll, Chattahoochee, Cobb, Crisp, DeKalb, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Fulton, Gwinnett, Harris, Heard, Henry, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Muscogee, Rockdale, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Upson, Wilcox
D1 (Moderate Drought): Baldwin, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Cherokee, Crawford, Dodge, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Glascock, Greene, Hancock, Haralson, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Macon, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Newton, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Schley, Taliaferro, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Twiggs, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, Wilkes, Wilkinson
D0: (Abnormally Dry): Catoosa, Chattooga, Clarke, Dade, Gordon, Hall, Oconee, Pickens, Walker, Whitfield
Drought_by_Week_2025 - Google Sheets

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
Link to the latest 2-week and 4-week change map for Georgia.
Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change 
Drought Worsened: Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Chattahoochee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, DeKalb, Dooly, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Fulton, Gilmer, Glascock, Greene, Gwinnett, Hancock, Heard, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Laurens, Meriwether, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Newton, Oglethorpe, Peach, Pike, Putnam, Rockdale, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Warren, Washington, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson
No Change: Dodge, Haralson, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Schley, Talbot, Telfair, Towns, Union, Upson, Webster
Drought Improved: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Newton, Oconee, Pickens, Rockdale, Walter, Walton, White, Whitfield

Precipitation - Past 30 Days
Over the last 30 days, rainfall over north Georgia (north of the fall line) generally ranged from 2.5 to 5 inches, or 70 to 130 percent of normal. 

In this same time period, rainfall south of the fall line has ranged from 0.4 to 1.7 inches, or 15 to 70 percent of normal. 

Last 30 Days
Last 60 Days
Rainfall
% Normal
Rainfall
% Normal
Rome (KRMG)
2.71”
73%
7.07”
97%
Athens (KAHN)
3.37”
102%
4.61”
64%
Peachtree-DeKalb (KPDK)
3.31”
94%
3.95”
53%
Fulton County (KFTY)
3.32”
95%
4.34”
61%
Atlanta (KATL)
3.80”
107%
3.99”
57%
Peachtree City (KFFC)
2.77”
82%
3.04”
44%
Macon (KMCN)
0.98”
36%
1.79”
30%
Columbus (KCSG)
1.25”
42%
4.37”
71%
The Additional Rainfall Information product (MISATL) is available online at weather.gov/ffc.


Summary of Impacts
Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter
Hydrologic Impacts 
Overall, 7-day streamflow averages span from below normal to normal due to the recent rainfall received. Among the mainstem rivers, the basins in central and south Georgia have the lowest streamflows.

Agricultural Impacts
Soil Moistures still remain dry, particularly over central Georgia where rainfall amounts were not sufficient for improvement. Reports still indicate drying water sources, delayed harvesting or planting of seasonal crops, and poor grazing conditions. The Crop Progress & Condition graphs show the largest impact to cotton, pasture and range conditions, and overall forecast yields are lower than expected. Farmers are also reporting dry creeks and sloughs. 

Fire Hazard Impacts
Wildfire risk continues to be high, even despite the recent rainfall. The outlook is for above normal wildland fire activity through November. Leaf and yard waste burning is being discouraged across north Georgia due to the dry conditions. See slide 9 for more details.

Other Impacts
There are no known impacts at this time.

Mitigation Actions
Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information.
fiResponse - Public Viewer

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Main Takeaways

Recent rainfall has improved hydrologic conditions in the last seven days.

Normal streamflows are present across much of north and central Georgia, including the Coosa, Tennessee, upper Chattahoochee, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ogeechee and Savannah River basins.

Below normal streamflows are present in the Tallapoosa, middle Chattahoochee, lower Flint, Ochlockonee, Suwannee, Satilla, and Altamaha River basins.

Lake and Reservoir levels are largely at or slightly below guides for the fall drawdown period, with latest levels on track with recent forecasts.
Image Caption: USGS 7 day average streamflow HUC map valid November 12, 2025.

Agricultural Impacts
Soils remain quite dry across the area, particularly south of the fall line where values are very dry.
Recent rainfall resulted in moistening of the near-surface soil layer in the last seven days, particularly along the I-20 corridor and in the Macon area. However, dry, sunny conditions have allowed for quick evaporation. 

Image Captions: 
Left: 0-200cm Relative Soil Moisture from NASA SPoRT valid November 13, 2025
Right: 0-200 cm Relative Soil Moisture 2-week Change from NASA SPoRT valid through November 13, 2025

Fire Hazard Impacts
Keetch Byram Drought Index values are above 400 across much of Georgia, and are as high as 700+ in portions of central and south Georgia.

At this time, above normal wildland fire potential is expected for November 2025, as indicated in the Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook (far right).

The Wildfire Potential Outlook for next week indicates Low Risk (level 2 of 3) for Georgia, with multiple counties are discouraging burning of leaf and yard waste. 


Image Captions:
Above:  Significant Wildland Fire Potential Monthly Outlook for November 2025
Left: Keetch Byram Drought Index for November 12, 2025.
Link to Wildfire Potential Outlooks from the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Seven-Day Precipitation Forecast
The 7-day outlook (through 7am Fri, November 20):

Dry conditions persist through the next week, with one real opportunity for rainfall forecast for Tuesday.
Low rain chances are expected over the next 7 days.
Rainfall amounts will be 0.01-0.25 inches across far north Georgia only. 


Rapid Onset Drought Outlook
Links to the latest Climate Prediction Center 8 to 14 day Temperature Outlook and Precipitation Outlook.
No rapid onset drought is expected for any area in the Southeast U.S.

For the next 8 to 14 days, above normal temperatures and above normal precipitation are expected for Georgia.

Image Caption: 
Days 8 to 14 U.S. Hazards Outlook 
Valid October 27-November 2, 2023

Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
For November:

There is an equal chance of above or below normal temperatures for north and central Georgia (right).

Below-normal precipitation is expected to continue in November (far right).

Image Caption: 
Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Drought Outlook
Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought is expected to persist or expand in coverage over north and central Georgia through January. 

Drought Information Statements will be updated every two weeks while D2 Severe Drought (or worse) continues in north and central Georgia.
Links to the latest:
Climate Prediction Center Monthly Drought Outlook 
Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Drought Outlook