Georgia, 2016

Drought in Georgia, October 1 to 31, 2016

October 1 to 31, 2016 · NWS GSP · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Another month of meager rainfall and unusually warm temperatures, in which most locations across northeast Georgia saw less than a half inch of precipitation resulted in exacerbation of the drought conditions that began across the area during late Spring. Total rainfall from May through October ranged only from 10-13 inches across this area, which is roughly half of the normal amount.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.

Another month of meager rainfall and unusually warm temperatures, in which most locations across northeast Georgia saw less than a half inch of precipitation resulted in exacerbation of the drought conditions that began across the area during late Spring. Total rainfall from May through October ranged only from 10-13 inches across this area, which is roughly half of the normal amount. The main agricultural impact was to pasture land, as hay production was down as much as 50%. Unirrigated soybean crops were also damaged, with production down as much as 50% in some locations. Water levels on area reservoirs and stream flows on waterways remained well below normal, and voluntary water restrictions remained in place in some communities.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 30, 6:25 PM EST, 5 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 6:25 PM EST, 5 hours 35 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Elbert

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Elbert forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.117, -82.840 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Franklin

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.375, -83.229 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Habersham

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Habersham forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.631, -83.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hart

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hart forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.351, -82.964 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rabun

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Rabun forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.882, -83.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Stephens

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Stephens forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.554, -83.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Georgia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, October 2016

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 663822, 663824, 663825, 663826, 663827, 663828.