LOTS OF RAIN, LITTLE RELIEF

By Christian Boone, Stacy Shelton, Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Even with Wednesday’s rainfall and the predictions for more today, Georgia lags far below its rainfall average of 50.20 inches a year. The good news? The metro area has already received more rain in 2008 than it did in 2007. Then again, that wasn’t hard to do: Last year was the second driest on record.

THE DROUGHT

Metro Atlanta’s drought should improve over the next three months, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. But it would take above-average rainfall for a year to restore Lake Lanier, which provides most metro Atlantans with their drinking water. This week, Lake Lanier fell to within 2 inches of setting a new record: It was more than 20 feet below its full, summertime level.