How much rain needed to get out of drought?

Question

Here in GA we've been in a bad drought for 3 - 4 years. How much rain would it take for us to get out of it?

Answer 1

That is a difficult question to answer, as there is more into it than simply how much rain, quantitatively.  Basically,  there are two types of drought: agricultural and hydrologic.  Agricultural droughts are what we most often see in the short term, where watering becomes necessary due to a period of dryness.  Hydrologic droughts are normally long term where lake levels become low.  These droughts take a long time to develop, but likewise take a long time to end.  I see that Georgia is currently in severe to extreme drought conditions, worst over the northeast part of the state.   The type is both agricultural and hydrologic.  Thus it will take quite a bit of above average rainfall over an extended period to end that.  The numerical amount of rain is not as important as how fast it falls and over how long.  Georgia will likely need a couple of good long rains from tropical systems to significantly recover.  Maybe Fay will put at least a dent in the dry conditions.