The May 8 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows dry conditions worsening in Florida and expanding in South Georgia and Southeast Alabama.
Extreme drought is observed in a couple of areas in Florida. One area is centered around Lake, Sumter, Marion, Volusia and Flagler counties. The other is located in the southern area of the state, including Miami-Dade, Monroe, Collier, Broward, Palm Beach, Hendry, Lee, Glades, Charlotte, DeSoto, Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee, Polk and Hillsborough counties. Severe and moderate drought conditions are prevalent throughout the rest of Florida.
Georgia’s dry conditions are largely concentrated to the southern part of the state, along with some counties up the east coast. The drought extends as far north in southern Georgia as Sumter, Dooly, Dodge, Wheeler, Treutlen, Emanuel, Jenkins and Screven counties. Abnormal and moderate drought are also seen in eastern counties like Burke, Richmond, Columbia, Lincoln, Elbert, Wilkes, Warren and Jefferson.
While Alabama is mostly drought-free, its driest conditions are in the southeastern corner of the state with abnormally dry and moderately dry conditions. Counties including Houston, Geneva, Covington, Coffee, Dale and Henry are impacted by the drought-like conditions.