The Aug. 13 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor provided updated drought conditions across Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
Florida
Florida’s dry conditions range anywhere from extreme drought to abnormal drought. Extreme drought in North Florida include all or parts of Gilchrist, Suwanee, Columbia, Union, Bradford, Clay, Putnam and Alachua counties. Extreme drought down the west coast includes all or parts of Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto and Highlands counties. Extreme drought is also observed in parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties in South Florida.
Severe and moderate drought encompass most of the state, while abnormal dry conditions are seen in most of the Florida Panhandle.
Georgia
Moderate drought in South Georgia starts as far west as Thomas and Brooks counties. It expands eastward to Camden, Glynn and McIntosh counties and as far north as Appling, Tattnall and Long counties. Moderate drought is also observed along the coast in parts of Chatham, Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch and Screven counties.
Abnormal drought is observed in Southwest Georgia, stretches through the central part of the state in Houston, Twiggs, Crawford, Bibb and Wilkinson counties and into most of the northern areas of the state. Moderate drought is seen in a small part of Northeast Georgia in parts of Hall and Dawson counties, stretching into Habersham, Rabun, Towns and Union counties.
Alabama
South Alabama is observing the only dry conditions in the state. Abnormal conditions starts in Houston, Henry and Barbour counties and stretches westward across the state, including all or parts of Dale, Geneva, Coffee, Crenshaw, Covington, Butler, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe, Clarke, Choctaw, Washington, Mobile and Baldwin counties.
The rest of Alabama, except for a small area in the western part of Pickens County, is drought free. It has sufficient moisture.