Drought in Georgia: Metro Atlanta sees no change

Drought conditions in metro Atlanta stayed the same, but southeast Georgia saw improvements over the last week. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

Drought conditions in metro Atlanta stayed the same, but southeast Georgia saw improvements over the last week. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

While drought conditions improved in part of southeast Georgia, metro Atlanta and the rest of North Georgia saw no change over the last week.

Coastal counties from Camden to Effingham were off the dry weather monitor altogether Friday, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The eastern edges of some neighboring counties also were in the clear.

That’s a far cry from parts of Cobb and Cherokee counties, which were in the Drought Monitor’s worst category, “exceptional.” Other parts of metro Atlanta were still in a “severe” drought, the third worst category.

Water levels at Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s source of drinking water, decreased slightly from 1,060.99 feet Dec. 9 to 1,060.75 feet Friday. The full pool level is 1,071 feet.

Rainfall last seven days: 0.06

Rainfall this month: 2.06

Rainfall deficit for the year: 10.05

Rainfall surplus since Dec. 1: 0.07

Values in inches as of Thursday