Map showing the probability of receiving 1 inch or more of precipitation through Sunday evening, May 3, 2026, 8 pm EDT. The map covers parts of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina with percentages ranging from 1% in Huntsville and Dalton to 83% in Statesboro. The probability increases from north to south, with the highest chances in southern Georgia and coastal areas. The color gradient ranges from dark blue (lowest probability) to yellow (highest probability). Key cities and their probabilities include Atlanta (25%), Columbus (56%), Augusta (54%), Savannah (82%), and Macon (59%). The map was issued on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 5 pm EDT by NOAA and the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service says meaningful rainfall is on the way for Georgia this weekend, though forecasters warn it will not be enough to end a drought that now covers the entire state.

What’s happening: Every county in Georgia is now in what forecasters call an “official drought,” rated between D2 and D4 on a scale where D4 is the most severe. That triggered a Level 1 Drought Response, the first formal step in the state’s drought management process.

The rain forecast: Central Georgia has the best chance of seeing the most rain. The forecast, issued Thursday, shows:

  • Warner Robins: 68% chance of at least 1 inch
  • Macon: 59% chance of at least 1 inch
  • Milledgeville: 54% chance of at least 1 inch
  • Atlanta: 25% chance of at least 1 inch
  • Gainesville: 11% chance of at least 1 inch

When to expect it: Rain is likely to start in central Georgia late Friday morning and slowly move north through Friday night, reaching the rest of the state by the weekend.

North Georgia outlook: Forecasters say North Georgia will likely see some rain, but amounts may be limited compared to the rest of the state.

The path forward: The National Weather Service says the rain, while welcome, will not break the drought. All counties are expected to remain in drought conditions after the weekend, though the rainfall may offer some temporary relief to the hardest-hit areas in central and south Georgia.

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B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.

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