There was a noticeable shift in drought conditions and coverage in Georgia this past week.
Last week’s report showed they covered 90 percent of the state but this week that’s been reduced to 72 percent as many places in north Georgia, including a part of northwestern Hall County, are now considered drought-free. Adjacent counties that are completely or partially drought-free are Gwinnett, Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin, White and Habersham. But all of Banks, Jackson, and Barrow remain locked in.
The drought-free areas are confined to a swath of counties from Columbus northeastward to Hancock County and then northwestward through metro Atlanta to Fannin and Murray counties at the Tennessee line.
The most serious drought conditions are in parts of southwest and southeast Georgia.
The level of Lake Lanier Thursday morning stood at 1072, up half-a-foot from last week.