During the past winter, parts of California experienced massive amounts of rain and snow. Though it momentarily eased the frequent drought periods that had been affecting the state, the surge in rainfall flooded roads, knocked out power, and broke levees. Fueled by multiple converging atmospheric rivers, the state's infrastructure was not able to capture all of the excess water, meaning water shortages could again return during future dry spells.
Climate change can both intensify rainfall and also extend droughts. Warmer temperatures increase rates of evaporation, pulling more water from the ocean and causing more precipitation overall. Data indicates single-day precipitation extremes are happening more frequently. Conversely, more evaporation also dries out surface water and soil, leaving less fresh water available. Even as the moist air from oceans and other sources returns to land as rain, sleet, or snow, inconsistent wind patterns and currents mean it isn't distributed evenly. That's why even as some counties experienced their wettest year on record, others experienced their driest.
Nationwide, 43% of counties reported precipitation over the past year greater than their long-term average. A 1,000-year event dumped 25 inches of rainfall over 24 hours in Fort Lauderdale on April 13. Nevada desert regions experienced thunderstorms and heavy rain in June. Severe weather through the mid-Atlantic in August brought tennis ball-sized hail to West Virginia and softball-sized hail and flash flooding in Maryland.
Using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, Stacker identified counties in Georgia that received the most precipitation from September 2022 to August 2023 compared to their average annual precipitation from 1901 to 2000. In the case of a tie, the amount of precipitation over the past year served as a tiebreaker.
Read on to see which counties reported more precipitation over the past year than usual.
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1 / 50#50. Appling County
- Precipitation over the past year: 52.4 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.4 inches above average (#34 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 0.7 inches above statewide average
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2 / 50#49. Talbot County
- Precipitation over the past year: 55.0 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.5 inches above average (#38 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.4 inches above statewide average
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3 / 50#48. Chattahoochee County
- Precipitation over the past year: 53.1 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.5 inches above average (#37 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.5 inches above statewide average
#47. Screven County
- Precipitation over the past year: 51.4 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.8 inches above average (#29 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 0.3 inches below statewide average
#46. Troup County
- Precipitation over the past year: 56.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.8 inches above average (#39 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 4.9 inches above statewide average
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#45. Fannin County
- Precipitation over the past year: 64.9 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.9 inches above average (#44 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 13.2 inches above statewide average
#44. DeKalb County
- Precipitation over the past year: 55.3 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.9 inches above average (#45 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.7 inches above statewide average
#43. Union County
- Precipitation over the past year: 65.8 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.0 inches above average (#43 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 14.2 inches above statewide average
#42. Forsyth County
- Precipitation over the past year: 58.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.1 inches above average (#43 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 6.9 inches above statewide average
#41. Gilmer County
- Precipitation over the past year: 66.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.2 inches above average (#45 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 15.0 inches above statewide average
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#40. Muscogee County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.7 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.2 inches above average (#36 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.1 inches above statewide average
#39. Franklin County
- Precipitation over the past year: 55.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.2 inches above average (#38 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.8 inches above statewide average
#38. Jenkins County
- Precipitation over the past year: 51.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.3 inches above average (#26 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 0.2 inches below statewide average
#37. Harris County
- Precipitation over the past year: 56.8 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.5 inches above average (#36 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 5.1 inches above statewide average
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15 / 50#36. Carroll County
- Precipitation over the past year: 59.0 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.6 inches above average (#40 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 7.3 inches above statewide average
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#35. Taliaferro County
- Precipitation over the past year: 53.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.7 inches above average (#31 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.9 inches above statewide average
#34. Hancock County
- Precipitation over the past year: 52.8 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.8 inches above average (#30 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.2 inches above statewide average
#33. Heard County
- Precipitation over the past year: 58.7 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.8 inches above average (#34 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 7.0 inches above statewide average
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19 / 50#32. Montgomery County
- Precipitation over the past year: 52.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.0 inches above average (#27 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 0.8 inches above statewide average
#31. Hall County
- Precipitation over the past year: 60.7 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.1 inches above average (#35 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 9.0 inches above statewide average
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21 / 50#30. Gordon County
- Precipitation over the past year: 59.0 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.3 inches above average (#33 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 7.4 inches above statewide average
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22 / 50#29. Murray County
- Precipitation over the past year: 62.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.4 inches above average (#35 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 10.9 inches above statewide average
#28. Floyd County
- Precipitation over the past year: 58.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.5 inches above average (#29 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 6.9 inches above statewide average
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24 / 50#27. Treutlen County
- Precipitation over the past year: 53.0 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.6 inches above average (#25 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.3 inches above statewide average
#26. Walton County
- Precipitation over the past year: 57.2 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.8 inches above average (#37 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 5.5 inches above statewide average
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#25. Emanuel County
- Precipitation over the past year: 53.2 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.8 inches above average (#23 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.5 inches above statewide average
#24. Greene County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.8 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.9 inches above average (#26 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.1 inches above statewide average
#23. Gwinnett County
- Precipitation over the past year: 58.1 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.0 inches above average (#34 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 6.5 inches above statewide average
#22. Banks County
- Precipitation over the past year: 59.9 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.1 inches above average (#29 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 8.3 inches above statewide average
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30 / 50#21. Toombs County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.0 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.1 inches above average (#21 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 2.4 inches above statewide average
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#20. Johnson County
- Precipitation over the past year: 53.4 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.2 inches above average (#20 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.8 inches above statewide average
#19. Washington County
- Precipitation over the past year: 53.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.3 inches above average (#24 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 1.8 inches above statewide average
#18. Warren County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.7 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.4 inches above average (#22 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.0 inches above statewide average
#17. Bulloch County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.9 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.4 inches above average (#21 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.2 inches above statewide average
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35 / 50#16. Candler County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.6 inches above average (#20 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 2.8 inches above statewide average
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36 / 50#15. Chattooga County
- Precipitation over the past year: 62.4 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.6 inches above average (#25 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 10.8 inches above statewide average
#14. McDuffie County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.8 inches above average (#20 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.0 inches above statewide average
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38 / 50#13. Glascock County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.8 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.0 inches above average (#22 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.1 inches above statewide average
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39 / 50#12. Tattnall County
- Precipitation over the past year: 55.6 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.1 inches above average (#19 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.9 inches above statewide average
#11. Oglethorpe County
- Precipitation over the past year: 56.9 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.3 inches above average (#21 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 5.2 inches above statewide average
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41 / 50#10. Jefferson County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.8 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.7 inches above average (#20 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.1 inches above statewide average
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42 / 50#9. Barrow County
- Precipitation over the past year: 59.4 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.8 inches above average (#26 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 7.7 inches above statewide average
#8. Columbia County
- Precipitation over the past year: 54.9 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.0 inches above average (#17 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 3.3 inches above statewide average
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44 / 50#7. Evans County
- Precipitation over the past year: 56.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.0 inches above average (#17 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 4.8 inches above statewide average
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45 / 50#6. Madison County
- Precipitation over the past year: 59.1 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.6 inches above average (#19 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 7.5 inches above statewide average
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#5. Jackson County
- Precipitation over the past year: 60.2 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.7 inches above average (#22 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 8.6 inches above statewide average
#4. Oconee County
- Precipitation over the past year: 60.1 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.4 inches above average (#19 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 8.4 inches above statewide average
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48 / 50#3. Burke County
- Precipitation over the past year: 55.9 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.5 inches above average (#14 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 4.3 inches above statewide average
#2. Clarke County
- Precipitation over the past year: 60.5 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.7 inches above average (#19 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 8.8 inches above statewide average
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50 / 50#1. Richmond County
- Precipitation over the past year: 56.7 inches
- Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 11.9 inches above average (#11 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
- Comparison to state's precipitation over past year: 5.1 inches above statewide average
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 44 states.
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