MACON, Ga. — The heat has certainly made its presence felt in Central Georgia. This was particularly evident on Wednesday, when temperatures soared to a scorching 102 degrees in Macon, matching the record set in 1950.
Something noticeably absent in our neck of the woods is rain.
So far, this month has been the driest June on record, with only a tenth of an inch of rain measured. While there have been instances of some pop-up thunderstorms, the rain produced by these storms has not been enough to be considered measurable.
As of June 25, the US Drought Monitor has officially given parts of Central Georgia a moderate drought classification. This classification includes Bibb, Jones, Monroe, Twiggs, Wilkinson, and parts of Houston county.
Everywhere else in Central Georgia is still considered abnormally dry.
Georgia is not the only state dealing with drought. Portions of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Florida are also dealing with a moderate drought.
With the high temperatures, the impacts of the dry weather have been intensified as some of the effects have been seen throughout our area. Crops have been damaged and the soil moisture has hardened. Rivers and lakes have seen a steady drop in water levels, as the measured water level in the Ocmulgee River on Thursday is two feet lower compared to June 11th.
Rain is forecasted for this afternoon and for Sunday, hopefully providing enough relief to break the drought.
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