In spite of some May rains, severe drought
continues across parts
of Georgia. The northeast mountains, as well as
central and southeast
Georgia, are having severe drought conditions, based
on the Palmer
Drought Severity Index, calculated by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate
Prediction Center.
The rest of the state is in moderate drought, except
in the northwest
corner. There, borderline drought conditions
prevail.

Plantable
but not recharged

Recent rains have increased upper soil
moisture and allowed
farmers to continue planting in southwest and south-
central Georgia.
However, the rain has not been enough to recharge the
soil moisture.
The soil moisture has declined, especially across
middle and southeast
Georgia, during the past week.

Continuing
dry conditions

Soil moisture could quickly become
inadequate if the state
doesn’t have a major rain in the next week.
Unfortunately, the prospects
for moisture are poor. Cool nights and mild days have
kept soil moisture
loss from evaporation and transpiration at a minimum
this spring. However,
temperatures in south and central Georgia will be in
the middle to upper
80s by the end of the week.

Results
and long-term predictions

These warmer days will increase the soil
moisture loss and
the stress on plants that lack well-developed root
systems. The Climate
Prediction Center calls for an increased likelihood of
warmer-than-normal
weather for June through August. That would increase
the loss of moisture
from the soil. The precipitation outlook for June
through August is
for an equal chance of below-normal, normal or above-
normal rain amounts.