Little change in North Georgia drought

There had been few changes in drought conditions throughout Georgia from Dec. 20 (map to the left) to Tuesday. (Credit: U.S. Drought Monitor)

There had been few changes in drought conditions throughout Georgia from Dec. 20 (map to the left) to Tuesday. (Credit: U.S. Drought Monitor)

After significant improvement in coastal Georgia, drought conditions have stayed stagnant the last few weeks.

Low water levels will, however, mean postponing an annual New Year’s Day tradition, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported.

RELATED: Drought delays annual Lake Lanier event

The Polar Bear Plunge, in which people jump into chilly waters, has been postponed until February.

Water levels at Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s main source of drinking water, decreased slightly from 1,060.47 feet last week to 1060.26 Friday. The full pool level is 1,071 feet.

“Meanwhile, the interior Southeast (United States) continued to experience varying degrees of drought relief, although streaks of significant rain notably bypassed core drought areas in northern and central Alabama and northern Georgia,” meteorologists said in this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor.

Coastal counties from Glynn to Effingham remained off the dry weather monitor altogether, and parts of Cobb and Cherokee counties were still in the Drought Monitor’s worst category, “exceptional.”

Other parts of metro Atlanta stayed in a “severe” drought, the third worst category.

Rainfall last seven days: 0.65

Rainfall this month: 2.85

Rainfall deficit for the year: 10.94

Rainfall deficit since Dec. 1: 0.82

Values in inches as of Thursday