Last Updated on May 14, 2026 4:19 pm
North Carolina's drought held largely steady this week — the first time in two months conditions have not worsened. Exceptional Drought (D4) has disappeared from the map, with Union County dropping back to Extreme Drought (D3). However, 67 counties remain in Extreme Drought, with no improvement elsewhere.
In the High Country, all six counties remain in Extreme Drought (D3): Watauga, Ashe, Avery, Alleghany, Caldwell, and Wilkes.
The weekly update, put out by the North Carolina Drought Management Council, shows all 100 counties experiencing some level of drought, with only six counties in the far northeast remaining at Moderate Drought (D1).
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
- Alamance
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Anson
- Ashe
- Avery
- Brunswick
- Buncombe
- Burke
- Cabarrus
- Caldwell
- Caswell
- Catawba
- Chatham
- Cherokee
- Clay
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Cumberland
- Davidson
- Davie
- Durham
- Edgecombe
- Forsyth
- Franklin
- Graham
- Granville
- Guilford
- Halifax
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Hoke
- Iredell
- Jackson
- Lee
- Lincoln
- Macon
- Madison
- McDowell
- Mecklenburg
- Mitchell
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Nash
- Northampton
- Orange
- Person
- Polk
- Randolph
- Richmond
- Rockingham
- Rowan
- Rutherford
- Scotland
- Stanly
- Stokes
- Surry
- Swain
- Transylvania
- Union
- Vance
- Wake
- Warren
- Watauga
- Wilkes
- Yadkin
- Yancey
Total: 67
D2 – Severe Drought
- Beaufort
- Bertie
- Bladen
- Carteret
- Craven
- Dare
- Duplin
- Gaston
- Greene
- Harnett
- Hertford
- Hyde
- Johnston
- Jones
- Lenoir
- Martin
- New Hanover
- Onslow
- Pamlico
- Pender
- Pitt
- Robeson
- Sampson
- Tyrrell
- Washington
- Wayne
- Wilson
Total: 27
D1 – Moderate Drought
- Camden
- Chowan
- Currituck
- Gates
- Pasquotank
- Perquimans
Total: 6
Residents are strongly encouraged to continue water conservation efforts and stay informed about local drought conditions.
