The prolonged drought that persists across the Southeast is intensifying and expanding in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Most of Florida’s dry conditions remain in the southern part of the state. Most of the prolonged drought conditions are now moderately dry with some severely dry conditions in Glades and Palm Beach counties. The dry conditions stretch northward to Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola and Brevard counties. Abnormally dry conditions are also observed in counties along the Gulf of Mexico, starting in Bay County and stretching eastward to Dixie and Levy counties.
Georgia’s driest conditions remain in the southeastern part of the state, with conditions ranging from abnormally dry to severely dry. The direst conditions are in McIntosh County and stretch northward to Effingham County and westward to Long and Evans counties.
All of North Georgia is abnormally dry as well.
Abnormally dry conditions are now being observed in North Alabama as well and stretch as far south as Chambers County along the Alabama-Georgia state line. Henry, Dale, Barbour and Russell counties in Southeast Alabama are abnormally dry as well as the southern areas of Mobile and Baldwin counties along the Gulf of Mexico.
The eastern region of South Carolina remains dry with Jasper and Beaufort counties severely dry.
The eastern region of North Carolina remains dry as well with severe conditions starting in New Hanover County and moving northward to Martin and Bertie counties. The western area is abnormally dry as well.