By Clint Thompson
Finally! Persistent rains in recent weeks have finally impacted the exceptional drought conditions being observed in South Georgia and North Florida.
Georgia
According to the May 28 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, exceptional drought in Georgia is concentrated more to the southeastern part of the state. It starts in parts of Thomas and Brooks counties, expands eastward to Charlton and Camden counties and as far north as Candler, Bulloch and Screven counties.
Extreme drought covers most of the remaining South Georgia area, ranging from Decatur and Grady counties in Southwest Georgia, northward to Marion, Schley and Macon counties and eastward to Jenkins County and the northern half of Screven County. Extreme drought and severe drought conditions are spread out through the remaining areas in Georgia.
Florida
Exceptional drought in North Florida starts in Gulf, Franklin and Liberty counties and spreads eastward to Baker, Bradford, Alachua and Levy counties.
Extreme drought covers most of North Florida and down the state’s west coast. It starts in Bay, Gulf and Calhoun counties in the Florida Panhandle, stretches eastward to Nassau, Duval, Saint Johns, Flagler and Volusia counties along the coast and down the western boundary to Collier, Monroe, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Severe and moderate drought conditions cover the remaining areas in Florida.
Alabama
The driest area in Alabama remains in the southeastern part of the state where severe drought conditions are being observed. They start in the corner of the state in Houston, Geneva and Henry counties, expand westward to parts of Baldwin, Escambia and Conecuh counties and northward to Tallapoosa, Chambers, Randolph, Clay and Cleburne counties.
Moderate drought and abnormal drought conditions cover the remaining areas in Alabama.