Counties with the worst droughts in Alabama

Nearly half of the continental United States is currently experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Storms during this past winter brought heavy (in some areas, record-setting) rainfall and flooding to California, offering the state an expected two-year reprieve from widespread droughts that covered nearly 100% of the state from 2020 to 2022. But in other parts of the country, especially dry conditions continue.

Six states currently have the most widespread drought, covering 100% of their areas. These are Maryland, South Dakota, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware.

In periods of drought, levels of major reservoirs and rivers can fall dramatically. Groundwater systems are also affected as shrinking water supplies impact agriculture and hydropower generation while increasing wildfire risk. Across New England, ongoing drought has shrunk reservoirs and water supplies in the region.

Periods of drought have intensified and become more frequent in recent years due to climate change. Scientists predict that even in low-emissions scenarios, much of the U.S. will be drier by the end of the century.

Stacker cited data from the U.S. Drought Monitor to identify the counties in Alabama with the worst droughts as of Nov. 19, 2024. Counties are listed in order of percent of the area in drought conditions. “Abnormally dry” is not considered to be a drought but is included as a separate data point. Additional data for the state overall is also included. Any counties not experiencing drought are not included in the list. Counties are listed in order of drought severity.

You may also like: Where people in Alabama are moving to most

Emma Rubin // Stacker

Alabama statistics

– Abnormally dry: 19.4%
– Area in drought: 79.9% (#11 nationally)
— Moderate drought: 45.9%
— Severe drought: 30.8%
— Extreme drought: 3.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Tallapoosa County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Talladega County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Thomas Burks // Shutterstock

Randolph County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Mccallk69 // Shutterstock

Macon County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Alabama

Canva

Lee County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Etowah County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

DeKalb County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Clay County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Chambers County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: Demand for these health care jobs is increasing most in Alabama

EWY Media // Shutterstock

Calhoun County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Bullock County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

George Dodd III // Shutterstock

Baldwin County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 98.9%
— Severe drought: 1.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Montgomery County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 98.3%
— Severe drought: 1.7%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Marshall County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 96.4%
— Severe drought: 3.6%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Alabama

Canva

Escambia County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 76.6%
— Severe drought: 23.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Curtis Lee Newton // Shutterstock

Franklin County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 75.5%
— Severe drought: 24.5%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Pike County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 73.3%
— Severe drought: 26.7%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Carl Banks Photography // Shutterstock

Jackson County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 63.0%
— Severe drought: 37.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Dale County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 61.0%
— Severe drought: 39.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: How cybercrime losses in Alabama compare

Canva

Mobile County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 59.7%
— Severe drought: 40.3%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Coosa County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 50.7%
— Severe drought: 49.3%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Carolyn May Wright // Shutterstock

Lowndes County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 45.9%
— Severe drought: 54.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Elmore County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 40.6%
— Severe drought: 59.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Autauga County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 26.6%
— Severe drought: 73.4%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: Counties with the most prewar homes in Alabama

Canva

Covington County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 24.0%
— Severe drought: 76.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Clarke County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 23.3%
— Severe drought: 76.7%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Crenshaw County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 16.2%
— Severe drought: 83.8%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Monroe County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 14.5%
— Severe drought: 85.5%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Coffee County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 6.2%
— Severe drought: 93.8%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: Metros where renters are the most overextended in Alabama

Canva

Conecuh County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 2.9%
— Severe drought: 97.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Houston County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 100.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Geneva County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 100.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Butler County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 100.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Dallas County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 72.7%
— Severe drought: 21.2%
— Extreme drought: 6.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

You may also like: Cheddar cheese, ham, and other groceries that dropped in price in the South last month

Canva

Wilcox County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 4.7%
— Severe drought: 84.1%
— Extreme drought: 11.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Madison County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 4.1%
— Severe drought: 76.6%
— Extreme drought: 19.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

JNix // Shutterstock

Washington County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 24.5%
— Severe drought: 44.2%
— Extreme drought: 31.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Marengo County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 29.3%
— Extreme drought: 70.7%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Canva

Limestone County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.9%
— Severe drought: 59.6%
— Extreme drought: 38.9%
— Exceptional drought: 0.7%

This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.

You may also like: Best public colleges in Alabama