Rain has visited the Chattahoochee Valley in the past few weeks. Slow, steady showers, and a few thunderstorms, some with high winds that downed trees, have come for several days. Despite sporadic damage, each drop of water has been a blessing.
A wetter pattern established itself in late April and provided beneficial rainfall for much of the Southeast through May. Most of the region received well-above-normal rainfall for the month. Portions of Alabama and Georgia received more than 200% of normal precipitation for the period. While these rainfall totals reduced long-term rainfall deficits that impacted agriculture, wildfire risk, and water resources, drought still lingers in the region.
As of this week, 85% of the region is still experiencing drought conditions, with almost 55% of the region in Severe to Exceptional Drought conditions. Much of the region is still experiencing precipitation deficits of 2-8 inches for the year to date (January-May 2026) and precipitation deficits of 6 to more than 12 inches from September 2025 through May 2026. While the rain and the drought relief is welcome, a continued wet pattern is needed to reduce the long-term rainfall deficits…