In the release of the latest drought monitor, drought conditions continue to increase across all of Georgia.

Over the last week, dry conditions prevailed, along with generally above-normal temperatures led to increasing short-term rainfall deficits and surface moisture loss, leading to significant areas of deteriorating dryness and drought across portions of Georgia, the northern tier of Florida, and much of Alabama.

Level D3 (extreme drought) expanded significantly across southwestern Georgia, much of the Florida Panhandle, and adjacent Alabama.

For the State of Georgia, comparing numbers from this week to last week, 96.54% of the state is dealing with drought compared to only 3.46% with no drought. These areas are in far northeast Georgia and down near Savannah.

Level D1 (moderate drought) covers 64.87% of Georgia compared, to 58.72% last week.

Level D2 (severe drought) shows up over 24.69% of the state, compared to 18.28% last week

Level D3 (extreme drought) is now impacting 4.83% of Georgia, verses 1.25% last week. This area is confined to area of Southwest Georgia.

For Middle Georgia, all locations are dealing with some drought, Levels D0 (abnormally dry) to Level D2 (severe drought). Comparing this week to last week, Level D1 (moderate drought) is now impacting portions of Butts, Monroe, Lamar, Upson, Crawford, Taylor, Macon, Schley, Sumter, Crisp, Dooly, Houston, Bleckley, Pulaski, Wilcox, Dodge, Telfair, Wheeler, Montgomery, Treutlen, Johnson, and Laurens counties.

Level D2 (severe drought) is impacting Upson, Taylor, and extreme southwestern Crisp County.

Thankfully we do have some rain in the forecast this weekend, but unfortunately it will now be enough to end the drought. In fact, with rainfall amounts expected to light, we are likely going to see drought conditions worsen in the coming weeks. Droughts take time to develop, and take time to go away.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is produced through a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and it released every Thursday morning.