Another week without rain, another week of expanding drought in the southeast.
From the Drought Monitor Archives, you can see how drought conditions have expanded and worsened in Georgia, as well as the southeast and into the Carolinas.
Not very far from the local area to our south, ‘Exceptional Drought Conditions’ have crept in. This area of exceptional drought extends into a small area of Alabama as well. While other areas including Columbus have not been upgraded as of yet to exceptional drought conditions.
I dont foresee this being the case next week if we dont get some appreciable rain. I contend some in the local area are already experiencing localized exceptional drought conditions, as we have been without rain for some time now and have experienced well above normal temperatures the past few weeks, drying the soil further.
Here are the current drought conditions in the Southeast:
As mentioned above, around the local area we have not had any rain, yet we have not had our area upgraded to the most severe drought conditions, that being exceptional drought. I know many factors come into play when putting together drought information. But from my own experience, what I have seen with my own eyes and experienced here at the homestead in Cataula from previous drought and now currently, we are experiencing exceptional drought conditions.
While drought conditions have worsened for many of us in Georgia, there is one exception. The northeast corner of Georgia has been lucky to have had showers and thunderstorms which have removed drought form their area, as seen in this map showing additional precipitation needed to return conditions to normal.
In my last drought report on June 3 2011, I said the local area needed 9 to 12 inches of rain to return conditions to normal. While the map in that post as the one above doesn’t reflect that, I chose to say it due to the fact across the Chattahoochee in Alabama that is what they need. Drought does not stop at the state line. We have had as Much rain here as they have had there. If we go by the map, we only need 6 to 9 inches here. Next week will be a different story without rain. Areas to our south now need anywhere from 9 to 15 inches of rain. Last week this was 6 to 12 inches.
Heres a couple photos from June 5 showing how dry it is in the front yard. It’s drier now….
In this first one, you can clearly see where the septic field is. It’s the only green grass in the yard.
In this one, it shows where the septic tank is located. The top is a foot under the dirt and is now a dead zone.
From a soon to be discontinued weather station located at Callaway Gardens, the Soil Moisture (12 in) is 25.9 %. I’m sure it is lower here at the homestead 20 miles south of that location.
What can we look forward to in the coming months ? According to GeorgiaDrought.org, “Through at least the middle of August, most of Georgia will likely be warmer and drier than normal.”
Sure hope we get a tropical system to move our way!
For past drought posts, check Here
Cataula GA Weather 