Southeast Drought Setting New Records

June 2008 was Dry - Nearly Setting New Records

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
500 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2008

...JUNE 2008 AMONG THE DRIEST MONTHS OF JUNE ON RECORD FOR SOME...

ALTHOUGH MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA RECEIVED RAINFALL DURING
THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE MONTH...IT WAS TOO SPOTTY AND NOT ENOUGH TO
PREVENT JUNE 2008 FROM TAKING A SPOT IN THE RANKINGS AS ONE OF THE
TOP TEN DRIEST MONTHS OF JUNE ON RECORD AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS.

AT ATLANTA...JUNE 2008 WAS THE THIRD DRIEST JUNE ON RECORD.

RANKING  TOTAL  YEAR
1.       0.16   1988
2.       0.39   1931
3.       0.58   2008
4.       0.74   1944
5.       0.74   1984

AT ATHENS...JUNE 2008 WAS THE FIFTH DRIEST JUNE ON RECORD.

RANKING  TOTAL  YEAR
1.       0.69   1920
2.       0.87   1958
3.       0.91   1988
4.       1.15   1925
5.       1.22   2008

AT COLUMBUS...JUNE 2008 WAS THE NINTH DRIEST JUNE ON RECORD.

RANKING  TOTAL  YEAR
1.       0.51   2000
2.       0.74   1993
3.       0.83   1986
4.       0.94   1988
5.       1.05   1990
6.       1.24   1979
7.       1.29   1955
8.       1.56   1954
9.       1.72   2008
10.      1.77   2006

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/html/dryjune08.shtml


While were on the subject, heres an update on the water level at Lake Lanier.

At 922 AM EDT SAT JUL 05 2008 LAKE LANIER had a level of 1055.93 down 0.06 from the previous reading. Our last Drought Update on July 2,2008 showed Lake Lanier with a Water Level of 1056.19. Thats a Drop of 0.26 inches in Three Days. Lake Lanier is Now 15 feet .07 inches down from Full Summer Pool of 1071.0.

Heres an interesting graph- Lake Level Forecasts



By the looks of the forecasted lake levels in Georgia, Its going to get worse and West Central Georgia is getting in on the act at West Point Lake. The Forecasted Drop at West Point Lake is more than Likely due to Not Releasing Water Up Stream. It appears the Corps of Engineers are holding back from releasing water from Lake Lanier as they said they would. They may be holding the water, but the Forecasted Water Level for Lake Lanier on August 1, 2008 is 1054.5, that would be a 1 foot .69 inch drop from it's current level.

At the current rate and judging from past reports, I suspect Lake Lanier will be lower than Forecasted, come August 1, 2008. Sure hope Tropical Storm Bertha makes it across the Atlantic, the Southeast could sure use the rain. The tropics are just getting started, so the Southeast still has time to re-gain some of it's rain deficit this season. We can do without all the damage and flooding a drought busting system would bring to the area though.

On a Striking note:

000
NWUS52 KFFC 050155
LSRFFC

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
955 PM EDT FRI JUL 04 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..

0919 PM     LIGHTNING        4 N THOMASTON           32.95N 84.33W
07/04/2008                   UPSON              GA   EMERGENCY MNGR

*** 1 INJ *** 57 YEAR OLD MALE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE
IN KITCHEN...RECEIVING MINOR INJURIES