Dry spring sets drought records

With half of Georgia's counties now in extreme or severe drought, records are being set for the driest season in decades.

Rome is the driest is been for nearly 110 years. Rome received a little less than eight and a half inches of rain in the first four months of 2007. Normal rainfall for the period is 22 inches.

The last time Atlanta saw so little rainfall was just over 75 years ago.

For Macon, it's the eighth driest spring since 1950.

Experts say extreme drought conditions happen once every 50 years.

Severe drought conditions occur once every 20 years.

Of the state's 159 counties, 33 are in extreme drought and 46 in severe drought.

As a result, residential outdoor restrictions have been tightened.

Odd-numbered addresses may water only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 12 midnight to 10 a.m.

Even-numbered and unnumbered addresses may water only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 12 midnight to 10 a.m.

There is no residential outdoor watering allowed on Fridays.