Drought conditions are continuing to worsen across north and central Georgia, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor. The report says only southeast Georgia and parts of southwest Georgia, which were impacted in recent weeks by hurricanes, are considered drought-free.
In north Georgia, several counties in the northwest corner of the state are experiencing "exceptional" drought conditions, the Monitor's most severe category. In other counties in that part of the state and in northeast, west and central Georgia, conditions are considered "extreme."
Rainfall at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville, through Thursday, was about 14 inches below normal for the year. October is traditionally one of the driest months of the year in north Georgia and in Gainesville it is living up to that history. As of Friday, rain had been recorded at the airport on only one of the first 14 days of the month. That was Oct. 7, when the area was feeling some of the affects of Hurricane Matthew as it moved up the Atlantic Coast from Florida.
Click here to see a map that details the severity of the drough in each Georgia county.
