Drought conditions are continuing to grip North Carolina, where all or portions of all 20 coastal counties are in severe drought, and the rain over the weekend isn’t expected to help.
Western portions of Brunswick and Pender counties are experiencing extreme drought conditions, according to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council’s Thursday advisory. The drought map is updated every Thursday based on conditions through the previous Tuesday.
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Much of the state — 66 of 100 counties — are in extreme drought, and five western North Carolina counties, including Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Watauga and Wilkes, are now classified in exceptional drought.
“The drought is solidly entrenched and impacts are slowly increasing,” Klaus Albertin, advisory council chair, said in a release. “Stream levels were already at record lows in most areas. Reservoirs are slowly declining and utility conservation levels are ramping up.”
Since August of last year, rainfall totals in Wilmington and Raleigh are down more than 18 inches compared with historical averages for the same period, according to the N.C. State Climate Office.
Groundwater levels are near record lows in many areas of the state, according to the state’s network of monitoring wells.
Rain expected over the holiday weekend is not expected to improve current drought conditions.
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“Looking at the forecasts, we are expecting to get, at best, an inch or an inch and a half in most places,” Albertin stated. “If that actually happens, it will keep us at status quo. We typically get an inch of rain a week on average, so if we get an inch this week, we will break even — with no improvement or degradation in conditions.”
Water systems in counties in exceptional or extreme drought conditions are advised to follow their water shortage response plan and implement measures to reduce water consumption. Those counties much report weekly water use and conservation to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resource’s local water supply plan website.
Residents should check their local water supply system for information related to water use restrictions.
Another 28 counties are in severe drought, and one county is in moderate drought.
The Drought Management Advisory Council is collaboration of drought experts from government agencies in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and organized by the N.C. Division of Water Resources.
The council meets weekly to submit drought condition recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Drought Mitigation Center for updates to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
