Rainfall finally arrived for the final week of April through the first week of May, but it was not enough to erase the drought throughout the state of Georgia.
As of the May 12, 2026 U.S. Drought Monitor, Extreme Drought (D3) conditions continue to impact Metro Atlanta. Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions persist throughout south Georgia.
In the Metro Atlanta area, rainfall continues to trend on par for the month of May, though officially, the Atlanta Airport is running over an inch below average.
More robust rainfall was measured in the Athens area, and so far, the month of May is running a small surplus.
However, the Year to Date rainfall data shows a more dire situation developing, as the Metro Atlanta area endured its Top 5 Driest Winters on Record.
This year, only 7.53 inches of rain fell between December 1 through March 31 -- this is roughly half of the average rainfall for the season.
Spring is also trending drier than average. Since March 1, the Atlanta area only received 6.62 inches of rainfall, marking a Top 10 Driest Spring on record.
As temperatures return to mid-May standards (mid 80s to low 90s), little to no rain remains in the forecast through the middle of next week. Anticipate worsening drought conditions as temperatures heat up while the rain gauges remain dry.