Weather forecast for tonight: Dark. Continued dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning. – George Carlin
Carlin may have been joking about weather forecasts but December has certainly seen a lot of interest in the meteorological field. The drought of years ago that saw Governor Sonny Perdue praying for rain on the steps of the Gold Dome seems a distant memory. December this year more likely conjures up the great Southern term “frog-strangler.”
Atlanta is on the cusp of breaking a near 100-year-old record for rainfall in the final month of the year. In 1919, Atlanta got 12.91 inches of rain and by late Wednesday was at 12.2 inches. December this year is already going to break the record for warmest ever and the rain record might come with it. In 1889, (apparently weather experts do trust the thermometers from then) December recorded an average temperature of 57.2°, this year the average temp is 57.5°.
Lake Lanier is above full pool at 1,075, the Army Corps’ established level for full pool is at 1071. The Army Corps plans to begin releases at Buford Dam today and will continue until levels are back down towards 1070. The Corps had stopped releases on the 22nd because of heavy rainfall that had already created some flooding conditions downstream.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a joint project by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center, most of Georgia is free of drought issues but the coastal region, from the Okefenokee up to Savannah is in category D0, meaning “Abnormally Dry” – “used for areas showing dryness but not yet in drought, or for areas recovering from drought.” The nearly six inches that much of central and northern Georgia received only translated into less than half an inch along the coast.
All of this comes as the Water Wars saga between Alabama, Florida and Georgia continues to worm its way through the courts system. It may not be in the front of mind now as Georgia is certainly flush with H2O but should a drought come again, it could be important for these cases to have cleared through the courts so clear action or strategy can be taken. The results of the court cases may impact reservoir planning and other legislative action that may be required.
Georgia and Florida are nearing the mediation stage. The states have exchanged names of attorneys for mediation so now two sets of attorneys will argue about choosing a new set of attorneys.
On the Alabama side, Senator Richard Shelby almost snuck some language into the omnibus spending bill regarding the Alabama-Coose-Tallapoose basin and water contracts therein. The Georgia delegation felt this language may hurt Georgia in its water case currently pending at the Supreme Court. Nathan Deal lobbied the Georgia delegation to get the language removed and House leaders eventually agreed. Between the Supreme Court and mediation, 2016 may the beginning of the end for the decades long water argument.
Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. – Anthony J. D’Angelo
