Drought conditions worsened across most of Georgia during May.

With well-below-normal rain and temperatures routinely in the 90s, soils continued to dry. The southern half of the state is being hit the hardest.

With little widespread rain and soaring temperatures over the next several days, conditions are expected to only get drier.

Counties south of Harris, Talbot, Upson, Monroe, Jones, Baldwin, Washington, Glascock, Jefferson and Burke, inclusive, are now classified as being in extreme drought.

Since Oct. 1, or what is considered the first of the water year, these counties have received 70 percent or less of normal rain. Over the past 6 months, Columbus has received 63 percent of normal rain. Macon has received 60 percent of normal rain.

Soil moisture conditions in the southern half of the state are generally at the fifth percentile. At the fifth percentile, the soils at the end of May are wetter 95 out of 100 years. Many farmers have not completed spring planting because the soils are too dry. Farmers are irrigating their crops just to get small plants to properly emerge, a very expensive alternative to rain.