Though the percent of Georgia suffering from the lingering drought is less this week than it was a week ago, conditions worsened in parts of northeast Georgia.
The U.S. Drought Monitor’s (USDM) weekly report shows that parts of the state where things have improved – mostly in central and south Georgia – increased by 23 percent.
Meanwhile, in northeast Georgia things also improved in Rabun, Stephens, Habersham, White, and Lumpkin counties but worsened in Elbert, Madison, Franklin, and Hart counties.
The drenching rains that fell across north Georgia Tuesday and not reflected in this week’s report. Though the report is issued each Thursday, the data on which it is based are a statement of conditions as of 7:00 a.m. the previous Tuesday.
The level of Lake Lanier this morning does, however, show what the impact has been since those Tuesday rains. The level is at 1067.3 compared to 1064.4, an increase in 2.9 feet. It still remains, however, about five feet below normal for this time of year.
Click here to see a map of the state as this stand this week and also to check drought conditions elsewhere in the country: Georgia | U.S. Drought Monitor (unl.edu)