Drought tightens its grip on Georgia

ATHENS - The drought continues to tighten its grip on Georgia - with conditions in four more northeast Georgia counties now considered severe.

Those counties are Dawson, Forsyth, Lumpkin and White, according to state Climatologist David Stooksbury. Just two weeks ago, he put four other counties in the area - Fannin, Gilmer Towns and Union - in that category.

The worst conditions are still in northwest and southeast Georgia, where an "extreme" drought persists.

In Gainesville and Hall County, the situation has remains stable, according to Stooksbury, although your lawn might now agree with that. Stooksbury says drought conditions here are still considered "moderate."