Moderate drought expands in western North Carolina

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council expanded the moderate drought classification to include 70 counties in the latest advisory released Thursday. 

The DMAC classified all or parts of 70 counties as experiencing moderate drought (D1 classification), while parts of Onslow County were classified as experiencing severe drought (D2). DMAC classified another 27 counties as abnormally dry. 

“North Carolina saw another week of below or well below average rainfall,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the DMAC. “Impacts from the slow-growing, but widespread, drought had been limited due to lower water demands in winter, but are starting to be felt. Low humidity, high winds and dry vegetation have contributed to increased wildfire activity and impacts to agriculture.” 

DMAC is a collaboration of drought experts from various government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina, and organized by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR). Members of DMAC meet weekly and submit their drought condition recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Drought Mitigation Center for updates to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map of the nation’s drought conditions. DMAC’s drought map is updated weekly on Thursdays, based on conditions through the previous Tuesday.