Much of Polk County is now out of the abnormally dry category, according to the federal drought map released Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Spartanburg County in South Carolina is also no longer abnormally dry, although much of Greenville County is still in that category.

The area has received seven inches of rain as of Wednesday morning, Aug. 25, according to observations in Tryon for the National Weather Service. Thats 1.1 inches above Augusts average rainfall of 5.9 inches.

Recent rainfall has brought the precipitation deficit for the year down to 8.55 inches, compared to more than 9 inches at the end of July.

Rainfall totals may be somewhat higher in specific locations, because of very localized thunderstorms.

About 56 percent of the state of North Carolina, including much of the western part of the state, was listed as abnormally dry as of Aug. 24, according to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. The situation has improved significantly as a result of the rainfall in the past week. On Aug. 17, the percentage of South Carolina in the abnormally dry category was 72.6 percent.

Dry conditions have also improved in South Carolina over the past week. Nearly 15 percent of the state was considered abnormally dry as of Aug. 24, down from 38 percent on Aug. 17.