Overabundance of rain becoming problematic

It’s no surprise that rain frequents Rabun County nearly every day during the spring/summer months, but this season is proving to set new records with total rain accumulation according to state and federal reports.

For the second month in a row, Rabun County has been reported by the National Centers for Environmental Information to be ranked at the “Record Wettest” during the January-July 2018 timeframe.

Countywide, a total of 43.9 inches of rain fell on the county from Jan. 1 through June 4, according to a report by the National Weather Service. A substantial amount of rain compared to 2017 where total rainfall for the allotted time period was recorded at 29.2, the report indicated.

The scenario facing farmers this summer is fairly dramatic as a result:

• Several wheat fields in north Georgia were lost to wetness, according to the NCEI.
• The watermelon harvest in Georgia got off to a profitable start, until heavy rains in June and July prompted farmers to leave melons in the fields, according to scientists at the University of Georgia. Water-related diseases that reduced the melons’ quality were the real problem.
• The heavy rains also impacted winter wheat harvesting, hay cutting and soybean planting in portions of Georgia, according to the NCEI.