Extreme drought leaves North Carolina
Updated drought maps are released every Thursday. U.S. Drought Monitor of North Carolina map
Drought conditions are the best they’ve been in a month, according to the latest map from the Drought Management Advisory Council, with recent rains wiping out the extreme drought conditions that had affected 13 western counties.
Currently, 24 counties are in severe drought, 39 are in moderate drought and 33 are abnormally dry, with the driest conditions in the western counties. Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Henderson and Transylvania counties all fall under the severe drought designation. The map, released Dec. 14 based on data gathered as of 8 a.m. Dec. 12, is the first since Nov. 14 that doesn’t have any counties in extreme drought.
Heavy rains over the weekend Dec. 9-11 were largely responsible, with many places receiving 2-3 inches of precipitation. According to the National Weather Service, over those three days Cullowhee got 2.19 inches, Franklin 2.43 inches, Oconaluftee 2.12 inches and Waynesville 2 inches.
While significantly more rain is needed to restore groundwater, soil moisture and reservoir levels in the western region, above-average rainfall is expected to arrive this winter with the coming El Niño weather pattern.
