The drought which reappeared in Georgia a few weeks ago expanded in coverage by 26 percent over the past seven days and now includes parts of Hall and Gwinnett counties along the South Hall-North Gwinnett line, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM). All of Forsyth and parts of Barrow, Jackson and Dawson are also included.
Middle and southwest and southeast Georgia are also affected. But most of northeast and northwest Georgia are unaffected.
The intensity of the drought, “abnormally dry,” remains unchanged.
And the prospects of rain statewide between now and the end of the month are slim, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), while there’s a 60-80 percent chance of warmer than normal temperatures during that time.
The level of Lake Lanier, meanwhile, lost about half-a-foot since this time last week and was at full pool early Thursday – 1071.