One of the warmest summers in Georgia history, coupled with unusually dry weather this fall, could herald the return of drought conditions in 2011, according to state climatologist David Stooksbury.

The lower water level in the Savannah River leaves a sandbar more exposed near the New Savannah Bluff Dam. Releases from Thurmond Lake are being limited to sustain the lake level.

"It wasn't that the daytime high temperatures were that unusual," he said. "It was the warm nighttime temperatures that set records."

Augusta was among many locations with at least 60 years of climate data that yielded record warm average daily minimum temperatures, which indicate unusually high nighttime temperatures, he said.

Read more: Augusta Chronicle

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