Last Updated on October 1, 2026 7:08 pm
North Carolina's drought picture is mixed this week, with significant improvement in severity across the western mountains even as dry conditions spread to more counties in the east. The number of counties in Moderate Drought (D1) dropped sharply from 36 to 28, with 10 counties improving to Abnormally Dry (D0). However, five previously drought-free counties in the northeast — Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank, and Perquimans — are now classified as Abnormally Dry.
In the High Country, conditions improved across the board. Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, and Wilkes counties all dropped from Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormally Dry (D0). Caldwell County moved from Abnormally Dry to drought-free. Avery County remains Abnormally Dry (D0).
Statewide, 91 of North Carolina's 100 counties are now in some level of drought or abnormally dry conditions, up from 88 last week. However, the overall severity eased — 15 counties improved while 8 worsened. Extreme Drought (D3) held steady at 10 counties. Severe Drought (D2) dropped slightly from 25 to 24 counties as Jackson, Macon, and Surry improved to D1, while Hertford and Johnston worsened from D1 to D2.
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
- Greene
- Guilford
- Halifax
- Lenoir
- Person
- Rockingham
- Stokes
- Warren
Total: 10
D2 – Severe Drought
- Alamance
- Bladen
- Chatham
- Columbus
- Duplin
- Durham
- Forsyth
- Franklin
- Granville
- Harnett
- Hertford
- Johnston
- Lee
- Nash
- Northampton
- Orange
- Pitt
- Robeson
- Transylvania
- Vance
- Wake
- Wayne
- Wilson
- Yadkin
Total: 24
D1 – Moderate Drought
- Anson
- Bertie
- Cabarrus
- Carteret
- Catawba
- Craven
- Davidson
- Davie
- Edgecombe
- Gates
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Jackson
- Jones
- Lincoln
- Macon
- Martin
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Onslow
- Pender
- Richmond
- Sampson
- Scotland
- Stanly
- Surry
- Swain
- Union
Total: 28
D0 – Abnormally Dry
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Ashe
- Avery
- Beaufort
- Buncombe
- Camden
- Cherokee
- Chowan
- Clay
- Cleveland
- Cumberland
- Currituck
- Gaston
- Graham
- Hoke
- Iredell
- Madison
- Mecklenburg
- Mitchell
- New Hanover
- Pamlico
- Pasquotank
- Perquimans
- Randolph
- Rowan
- Watauga
- Wilkes
- Yancey
Total: 29
Residents are strongly encouraged to continue water conservation efforts and stay informed about local drought conditions.
