A new report shows roughly 77 percent of the state's cotton crop and 80 percent of the peanut crop have been planted.
The driest conditions in the state continue to be two pockets in southwest and southeast Georgia.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Drought Monitor says the drought has now pushed as far north as southern Habersham County, south Dawson and south Forsyth, extending westward to the Alabama line near Carrollton and LaGrange. Gainesville and all of Hall County are now considered in a drought. Conditions in all of these areas are considered "abnormally" dry.
A swath of counties just to the south of that area is labeled "moderately" dry.
South of there, and covering the largest number of counties in Georgia, is a "severe" drought. Only the mountains and some adjacent areas to their south are now considered drought-free.
State climatologist David Stooksbury said Tuesday that conditions are expected to get worse with little rain and high temperatures over the next several days.
Stooksbury notes that Columbus has received 63 percent of its normal rainfall. Macon has only gotten about 60 percent. But, he says he expects most municipalities and businesses will have enough water through the summer.
(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/6/239175