The Severe to Extreme Drought that characterized Fall 2025 persisted into January 2026 as north and central Georgia failed to benefit from the typical 'recharge' period. A more active weather pattern in the second half of the month allowed for several rounds of beneficial, albeit non-drought-breaking, rainfall, particularly over the north and northwest portions of the state. While these systems helped stabilize soil moisture in some areas, deep-layer moisture deficits remained significant, and led to the redevelopment of D3 Extreme Drought over portions of the state.
Precipitation for January varied across north and central Georgia. Much of north Georgia and the Metro Atlanta area received between 3.0 and 5.0 inches of rain, which neared 60 to 100 percent of the monthly normal. In contrast, central Georgia continued to lag behind, with many areas receiving only 1.5 to 3.0 inches (approximately 40 to 60 percent of normal). Despite the uptick in surface moisture, the cumulative rainfall deficit since August 2025 remained between 8 and 14 inches for a large swath of the Piedmont. Consequently, while topsoil showed signs of recovery, subsoil moisture and groundwater levels remained low for mid-winter.
Agricultural impacts continued to be reported through the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR). The winter wheat crop, already stunted by the dry fall months, showed uneven growth and poor tillering in the most affected central Georgia counties. Livestock producers remained in a critical state; although January rains provided some minor recharge to stock ponds, many remained at dangerously low levels. The reliance on supplemental hay feeding remained total across central Georgia, and the high cost of feed continued to drive reports of decreasing herd size as producers looked toward a potentially dry spring.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) reflected a month of slow expansion of drying conditions. At the start of January, roughly 15.4 percent of north and central Georgia was in D2 Severe Drought. By the end of the month, this figure had shifted slightly to 50.96 percent. Although there were some improvements over portions of the western and northern greater Metro Atlanta area, there were also pockets of D3 Extreme Drought that expanded, including Harris, Chattahoochee, Muscogee, Madison, Oglethorpe, and Wilkes counties.