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Current Drought Conditions
20 June 2011
How Did We Get Here?
David Emory Stooksbury, Ph.D.
State Climatologist and Associate Professor
Engineering and Atmospheric Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
stooks@engr.uga.edu
706-583-0156
Lack of Late Summer and Fall Rains
US Drought Monitor 20 July 2010
Much of Georgia’s rain in the late summer and fall comes from tropical
weather systems
In 2010 Georgia missed having these beneficial rains
US Drought Monitor 24 August 2010
US Drought Monitor 21 September 2010
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US Drought Monitor 19 October 2010
US Drought Monitor 23 November 2010
US Drought Monitor 21 December 2010
Lack of Winter and Spring Rains
La Niña ocean-atmosphere pattern
-! Usually brings middle and south Georgia a warm and dry winter and
spring
-! Winter was abnormally cold transitioning to a warmer than normal
middle and late spring
-! Abnormally dry winter/spring across the southern half of the state
-! Inadequate recharge of
-!
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Soils
Groundwater
-!
Streams
US Drought Monitor 18 January 2011
US Drought Monitor 22 February 2011
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US Drought Monitor 22 March 2011
US Drought Monitor 19 April 2011
US Drought Monitor 19 April 2011
US Drought Monitor 24 May 2011
US Drought Monitor 31 May 2011
US Drought Monitor 14 June 2011
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US Drought Monitor 14 June 2011
Rain Since 1 October 2010
(Water Year)
Rain Last 60 Days
Rain Last 14 Days
Soil Moisture 19 June 2011
Stream Flows 20 June 2011
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Groundwater - Baker County
20 June 2011
Groundwater - Decatur County
20 June 2011
Groundwater - Mitchell County
20 June 2011
Groundwater – Miller County
20 June 2011
Groundwater – Lowndes County
20 June 2011(146 is the record)
Groundwater – Toombs County
20 June 2011
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Climate Outlook – JAS Temperature
Climate Outlook – JAS Rain
Summary
!! Currently
!! Extremely low levels of
!! Soil moisture
!! Stream flows
!! Groundwater Levels
!! Minimal short-term relief
!! Above normal temperatures most likely expectation for the next several
weeks
!! Continued drying of soils, decreasing stream flows, decreasing ground
water levels
!! Even if we have normal weather from here on out
!! Some hope for relief from tropics later in the summer
!! Active tropical year forecasted
!! Last year was also an active tropical year – no US land falling storms
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