By Clint Thompson
Recent rains alleviated some of the dry conditions being felt across the Southeast region, especially in Georgia and Alabama, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Only a small part of North Georgia remains abnormally dry, including Union County, Fanning County, Gilmer County, Dawson County, Towns County and Lumpkin County. Only a couple of counties in South Georgia are abnormally dry as well, including Decatur County, Thomas County, Brooks County and Lowndes County.
According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, Tifton, Georgia received 3.2 inches of rain from Jan. 1 to Jan. 5; Calhoun received 1.95 inches; and Dublin received 1.8 inches.
Much of Alabama’s abnormally dry conditions are now confined to the western part of the state. Parts of Sumter County, Choctaw County and Marengo County along the Alabama-Mississippi state line are moderately dry, as are Mobile County and Baldwin County in South Alabama.
Florida’s abnormally dry conditions continue to be isolated to the Panhandle, as far west as Escambia County and stretching eastward to Alachua County and Levy County.
Rainfall in South Carolina eliminated much of the dry conditions in the southern part of the state. But the north and northeastern areas remain anywhere from abnormally dry to severely dry.
All but a small area in western North Carolina is either abnormally dry, moderately dry or severely dry.