Drought done yet? Not quite.

 Spring has sprung and green abounds in Alamance County.

But despite lush lawns and foliage, the drought that has plagued North Carolina for several years remains a fact in Alamance County.

Through Thursday, precipitation in Alamance County is still nearly 3.5 inches below normal for the year, according to AccuWeather.

The county had just over 31 inches of precipitation in 2007, more than 14 inches below normal.

A look at the U.S. Drought Monitor map shows a county divided by dry conditions, with roughly the northern half in moderate drought and the southern half in severe drought.

Moderate ranks second and severe third on a one-to-five scale with one being the least, or abnormally dry, and five being the worst, or exceptionally dry.

County wells are still recovering, but crops are looking great, said Roger Cobb, the head of the county Cooperative Extension Service.

Pastures are green but not as lush as they might appear at first glance, Cobb said. Last summer's dry conditions killed the grass and it has completely recovered.

A recent storm that dumped about six inches on the county actually dumped too much rain on local crops at one time and has made it difficult to get in the fields, Cobb said.

Another dry summer could quickly erase the gains of recent rains, Cobb added.

Things look somewhat promising in the short-term, though. Forecasters at the National Weather Service are calling for a 20-percent chance of rain on Saturday increasing to an 80-percent chance rain on Sunday followed by a 40-percent chance on Sunday night.

The rain is scheduled to return on Wednesday night, with a 30- to 40-percent chance of showers through Thursday night.