Last Updated on August 13, 2026 6:00 pm
Exceptional Drought (D4) has been eliminated from North Carolina for the first time since late April, as Brunswick County — the last remaining D4 county — improved to Extreme Drought (D3).
Abnormally Dry (D0) more than doubled from 8 to 20 counties, with major population centers like Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) and Buncombe County (Asheville) reaching the lightest classification. Eleven counties are now completely drought-free.
In the High Country, Avery County improved from Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormally Dry (D0) — the first High Country county to reach that classification. Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, and Caldwell counties remain in Moderate Drought (D1). Wilkes County remains in Severe Drought (D2).
The weekly update, put out by the North Carolina Drought Management Council, shows 89 counties still experiencing some level of drought or abnormally dry conditions — down from all 100 counties a month ago.
Drought categories are based on streamflow, groundwater levels, the amount of water stored in reservoirs, soil moisture, the time of year, and other relevant factors for assessing the extent and severity of dry conditions.
D3 – Extreme Drought
- Brunswick
- Caswell
- Guilford
- Person
- Rockingham
- Transylvania
Total: 6
D2 – Severe Drought
- Alamance
- Bladen
- Columbus
- Cumberland
- Duplin
- Forsyth
- Granville
- Halifax
- Haywood
- Jackson
- Jones
- Lenoir
- Macon
- Orange
- Pender
- Robeson
- Sampson
- Stokes
- Swain
- Vance
- Warren
- Wilkes
- Yadkin
Total: 23
D1 – Moderate Drought
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Anson
- Ashe
- Cabarrus
- Caldwell
- Chatham
- Cherokee
- Clay
- Craven
- Davidson
- Davie
- Durham
- Edgecombe
- Franklin
- Graham
- Greene
- Harnett
- Henderson
- Hoke
- Iredell
- Johnston
- Lee
- Martin
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Nash
- Northampton
- Onslow
- Pitt
- Randolph
- Richmond
- Scotland
- Stanly
- Surry
- Union
- Wake
- Watauga
- Wayne
- Wilson
Total: 40
D0 – Abnormally Dry
- Avery
- Beaufort
- Bertie
- Buncombe
- Burke
- Carteret
- Catawba
- Cleveland
- Gaston
- Gates
- Hertford
- Lincoln
- McDowell
- Mecklenburg
- Mitchell
- New Hanover
- Pamlico
- Polk
- Rowan
- Rutherford
Total: 20
Residents are strongly encouraged to continue water conservation efforts and stay informed about local drought conditions.
