Drought Intensifying, Expanding Across SE

Clint ThompsonDrought

By Clint Thompson

Abnormally dry conditions have become more widespread across the Southeast (SE), due to the lack of rainfall over the past couple of weeks, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Most of northern and central Florida is abnormally dry. The dry conditions start in Leon and Wakulla counties, stretch east to Nassau and Duval counties and southward to Charlotte, Glades and Martin counties. Severe and moderate drought conditions are seen in counties in Southeast Florida, including Osceola, Brevard and Indian River counties.

Georgia’s dry conditions are intensifying in areas in the southeast and north-central parts of the state. In southern Georgia, abnormally dry conditions start in Thomas and Brooks counties and stretch northeast to parts of Bryan and Chatham counties. The other large patch of dry conditions are concentrated near Atlanta. Moderate dry conditions are observed in parts of Fayette, Coweta, Fulton, Douglas, Cobb, Paulding and Cherokee counties.

Sporadic areas in Alabama are abnormally dry. One is located in the Wiregrass region in Southeast Alabama. It includes abnormally dry conditions in Henry, Dale, Coffee, Barbour, Pike, Bullock and Russell counties. The largest area of dry conditions is in the north-central part of the state. It starts in Bibb and Tuscaloosa counties and stretches eastward to Cleburne, Randolph and Chambers counties located along the Alabama-Georgia state line.