Most areas of the state got about half an inch of rain over the weekend Jan. 6-7, while the western region got 2-3 inches more early Tuesday morning before the 8 a.m. cutoff for this week’s drought assessment. According to National Weather Service records, heavy rains Jan. 9-10 poured 3.46 inches on Cullowhee, 3.41 inches on Franklin, 5.72 inches on Highlands, 3.55 inches on Oconaluftee and 3.51 inches on Waynesville. Several waterways surged to minor flood stage, including the Pigeon River at Canton, Cullowhee Creek near the Jackson County Recreation Center and the Tuckasegee River at Bryson City.

In contrast to the drought it’s now escaping, most parts of the state have been decidedly wetter than normal recently, quickly knocking back the rainfall deficits that accumulated in fall and early winter. In addition to the rain that fell after 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, and into Wednesday, the mountains received further precipitation Friday, Jan. 12.

According to the drought map released Jan. 11 based on conditions through 8 a.m. Jan. 9, only two counties are still in severe drought — Clay and Cherokee — and then in only a small portion of their total area. Just 11 counties remain in moderate drought, located in the far western and northwest portions of the state and including Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Buncombe and Graham counties. An additional 13 counties are abnormally dry, including Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties.

— Holly Kays, Outdoors Editor