Drought conditions creeping back into Ga.

WASHINGTON - Suddenly Georgia's "drought monitor map" is showing some color again... and that means only one thing: things are getting drier than usual again.

The U.S. Drought Monitor's latest data - released Thursday - show 38 percent of the state is now considered "abnormally dry" up from 7.3 percent three months ago. But still a far cry from the 98 percent of the state a year ago.

Among the northeast Georgia counties now considered "abnormally dry" again are all or parts of Gwinnett, Hall, White, Habersham, and Rabun.

Also on the list are: Union, Hart, Stephens, Elbert, Banks, Jackson, Barrow, Forsyth, Dawson and Lumpkin.