First Two Months of 2009 Not Promising for Drought
As far as the weather goes, winter is almost over, and with it, the best chance for reducing Georgia’s long-term drought. However, looking at the rainfall we’ve had for the first two months of the year, we are woefully behind where we should be. As of this morning, we’ve had 4.39 inches of rain in Lawrenceville, compared to a normal of 9.19 inches, or 48%. Atlanta is doing even worse, with only 3.84 inches, or 42% of normal rainfall.
Most of the state is now listed as being in some sort of drought, as you can see in the map to the right. The biggest change over the last week is that the part of the state in moderate drought has increased from 30% to 76%. Less than 1% of the state is drought free.
In his latest assessment, state climatologist David Stooksbury says,
The cool season – October through April – is critical for the state. That’s when it typically receives moisture recharge to the soils, groundwater, rivers and reservoirs. Without significant rain in the next two months, Georgia is primed for another year of drought.
The major reservoirs of Lanier, Hartwell, Russell and Clarks Hill remain near record lows with diminishing hope for recharge unless there is a major weather pattern shift over the next few months.
This weekend does promise to bring some relief, with rain predicted for much of the northern half of the state on Friday and Saturday. Accuweather is forecasting 2.25 inches of rain for Gwinnett over the period, while the weather service says there could be nearly four inches of rain in parts of north Georgia, with the western half of the state more likely to get the heaviest rainfall.
However, once this system moves on through, the outlook for much of March, and indeed the Spring months is for drier than normal conditions for much of the Southeast. Lake Lanier stands at 1056.9 feet, pretty much where it was after heavy rains in early January raised the lake’s level by about three feet. Rain this weekend should help some, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting back to normal any time soon.
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February 26th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
WHEN will this over-4 year drought event end?? Here is latest expert assessment:
WSB News
Drought Conditions Worsen
By Condace Pressley @ February 25, 2009 4:13 PM Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)
(WSB Radio) — Pop quiz: when was the last time it rained where you are? If you’re having trouble remembering, don’t feel bad. WSB’s Pete Combs reports the drought that has gripped much of Georgia for the past three years is only getting worse.
Georgia Climatologist David Stooksbury has been looking at this winter’s rainfall… and he doesn’t like what he sees.
“Unfortunately,” he tells WSB’s Pete Combs, “the drought has actually intensified.”
Stooksbury says Atlanta has been bone-dry lately — and that’s not helping the drought situation at all.
“In Atlanta, over the last 30 days,” he says, “we’ve only received 22-percent of normal rainfall.”
If this continues, Stooksbury worries the summer will be even worse than we’ve seen the past two years. Look for more water restrictions, he warns, and more fights over what little water there is.
Most of the lakes/ponds in Fayette County are bone-dry! I drove up to Asheville, NC last week and drove past many points on Lake Hartwell. I lived in Stephens County (near the lake) back in 1986 and this drought is FAR WORSE than that one. Lake Hartwell, in many spots, is virtually non-existent! It may take years, only if we start getting rain, for these lakes to re-fill.
March 1st, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Interesting timing on this post, right before the heaviest rains of many months…