Stephens Co. Reaches Severe Drought Status

Drought conditions continue to worsen in Stephens County and northeast Georgia.

According to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, which was released on Thursday, Stephens County has progressed from “moderate drought” into “severe drought.”

Banks, Franklin, and a small part of Habersham County are also in “severe drought,” as is much of Rabun County and Oconee County, South Carolina.

Nearly half of the state is in some sort of drought or dry condition as of this week.

Drought conditions get more severe generally as one moves into north Georgia, as much of south Georgia remains normal on precipitation.

These are the worst drought conditions to hit Stephens County and north Georgia in nearly four years, since the Summer and Fall of 2012, according to the Drought Monitor report.

State Climatologist Bill Murphey said that Stephens County currently has a rainfall deficit of nearly seven inches.

Murphey said that Toccoa had the 11th driest Spring on record dating back to 1893.