The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows positive signs of the north Georgia region escaping the grip of extreme drought.
In the weekly monitor released Thursday, the extreme drought classification that had covered the region last week had been reduced to just a handful of counties.
In northeast Georgia, those included most of Gilmer, Fannin, White and Habersham counties. Smaller portions of Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, Towns and Rabun counties remained under the monitor's second highest drought classification.
The remainder of the region, including Hall County, was shifted to a severe drought category, the third highest classification. The northeast tip of Rabun County even dropped to the moderate drought category.
"Widespread heavy precipitation pounded almost the entire dry area from northern Louisiana northeastward through much of the Southeast and into the western Carolinas and southwestern Virginia," the weekly monitor summary stated. "At least 2 inches fell on most locations, save scattered parts of the central Carolinas and southwestern Tennessee."
The drought is approaching the one-year mark. Abnormally dry conditions began showing up in March 2016 in parts of the South, and intensified through the spring, summer and fall.
Associated Press contributed to this story.
