Drought conditions ease in NE Ga.

UNDATED - Drought conditions have eased in northeast Georgia over the past month.

However, "abnormally" dry weather persists in some areas such as Gwinnett, Dawson, Forsyth, southern Hall and Barrow counties. Only pockets of counties in central Georgia and in the northeast show no signs of drought, with drought conditions continuing over the rest of the state.

The severity ranges from "abnormally dry" from the northwest corner of the state through the middle of Georgia to the coast; "moderate" drought conditions in west and southwest Georgia and most of deep South Georgia; and, "severe" in all or parts of about five counties around the Okefenokee Swamp .

A month ago, only 12 of the state's 159 were were considered drought-free including the counties adjacent to Tennessee and North Carolina and several near the coast.

The return of drought conditions in Georgia in September had many people quickly remembering the recent prolonged drought that lasted several years and wondering we might be headed in that direction again. (See earlier story.)