ATHENS, Ga. — Three weeks of sparse rain
and intense heat, with highs
in the 90s to well over 100 across north and middle Georgia,
have worsened drought
conditions.

The Georgia
Agriculture Statistical Service
reports that moisture is short to very short in 59 percent of
the state’s soils. Last year
at this time, soil moisture was rated as short to very short
in
48 percent of the soils.

Soil moisture loss from evapotranspiration ranged from 1.5
to 1.75 inches across the
state last week.

Lack of soil moisture caused crops to deteriorate,
especially across north and middle
Georgia. Soils are becoming drier, too, in south Georgia,
which
has benefitted from
scattered thunderstorms.

A good indicator of the soil moisture available for the
growth of crops and pastures is
the Crop
Moisture Index.

The CMI shows that the northeast, west-central, southwest
and south-central regions are
abnormally dry, and crop prospects are deteriorating.

It points out that top soil moisture is short in
north-central, central and
east-central Georgia. Northwest and southeast Georgia have
adequate soil moisture for
current crop needs.

The Palmer
Drought Severity
Index is a long-term drought measurement and changes
slowly
from week to week. It was
designed to measure long-term meteorological drought.

The PDSI classifies northeast, west-central, central,
southwest and south-central
Georgia as being in moderate drought. The north-central,
east-central and southeast parts
of the state are in mild drought, and northwest Georgia is
near
normal.

From the middle of June through mid-July, generous rainfall
had allowed soil moisture
to improve statewide. By the middle of July, drought
conditions
across Georgia had shown a
dramatic improvement. Parts of the state, especially the
southeast, were drought-free.

Since mid-July, though, the north, middle and parts of
south
Georgia have had very
little rain. For July 15 through Aug. 1, the rainfall in major
cities was: Athens, 0.37
inches; Atlanta, 1.39; Augusta, 0.06; Columbus, 1.47; Macon,
0.55; and Savannah, 1.47.

Blairsville, Dearing, Eatonton, Griffin and Williamson
reported less than one-half inch
of rain between July 15 and Aug. 1.

Many south Georgia locations had more than 2 inches of rain
during the same period.
Notable rainfall totals include 5.00 inches in Arlington, 3.78
in Camilla, 5.22 in Dawson,
4.04 in Newton, 4.37 in Pine Mountain, 3.93 in Tifton and 3.75
in Valdosta.

You can get updates on current moisture conditions at the
University
of Georgia moisture web
site. Or contact your county extension
agent.

The rainfall data is from the UGA
Automated Environmental Monitoring Network and the National
Weather Service.