4/21/17

By: Bill Kinsland

Drought Map 4-21-17(Sautee)- In the drought report released this Thursday (April 20th), the National Drought Mitigation Center shows Georgia’s overall drought-coverage area has expanded slightly since last week.

– Some 97 percent of Georgia’s land area is now in some degree of drought. The area affected by the extreme drought (D3) remains unchanged(currently 3.68%). There has been no change in White County’s drought status. The county remains almost entirely in an extreme drought (D3) as of this past Tuesday. (See attached map)

– The rainfall of the past seven days (1.31 inches) has done little to improve the situation. Most river and ground water levels remain below normal. See this morning’s figures below.

  We note that White County has been in some degree of drought continuously since March 29th of last year… some 55 weeks. The county has experienced extreme (D3) or exceptional drought (D4) continuously since October 18th…about 26 weeks.

  Year-To-Date rainfall totals remain below normal. As of 7 AM this morning (April 20th), White County’s year-to-date rainfall stands at 15.72 inches which is 5.17 inches below normal (20.89 inches). This figure is 75% of the level normally expected for this time of year.

The levels below were recorded at 7 AM today (20 April 2017):

-A)The Chattahoochee River level at Helen is 0.63 ft which is -0.27 ft

   below normal (0.90 ft).

-B)The water level at Lake Lanier is 1062.49 ft. which is 8.51 ft

   below normal pool (1071.00 ft.)

-C)The USGS well level at Unicoi State Park is -5.11 ft which is -0.80

   ft below normal (-4.31 ft.)

-D)Soil moisture at Three Sisters Vineyards was 29.1%.

-According to NOAA forecasters at National Weather Service in Peachtree City, the current 90-day outlook for May through July shows that most of northern Georgia can expect above-normal temperatures and near-normal precipitation.