Exceptional drought expands to 10 central North Carolina counties

RALEIGH — Drought conditions have worsened across North Carolina, with parts of 10 counties in and around the Triangle now classified as experiencing exceptional drought, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality announced Thursday.

According to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council’s latest classifications, 10 counties are in exceptional drought, 42 counties are in extreme drought, 46 counties are in severe drought and two counties are in moderate drought.

The department said most of the state remains in extreme or severe drought. The exceptional drought designation applies to the most serious category on the drought scale.

“The good rains the state received over Memorial Day weekend were helpful, but had a short-term impact,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the Drought Management Advisory Council and a water resources engineer with DEQ’s Division of Water Resources. “Most areas are still showing one of their top five driest beginnings to the year.”

DEQ said the central North Carolina area now classified in exceptional drought has received 25% to 50% of normal rainfall over the past six months, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Rainfall totals in Raleigh are more than 20 inches below historical averages for the same period, according to the NC State Climate Office.

Streamflow levels also remain below normal or at record lows in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, according to DEQ.

For counties in exceptional or extreme drought, state officials advise water systems to follow their Water Shortage Response Plans and water-use reduction measures. Those systems must report weekly water use and conservation status online to the Division of Water Resources.

DEQ said residents should check with their local water supply system for information about any water-use restrictions.

The Drought Management Advisory Council includes drought experts from government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina. The council meets weekly and submits recommendations to federal partners for updates to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.