Last Updated on September 4, 2026 4:01 pm
North Carolina's drought improvement stalled this week after several weeks of steady gains. No counties improved, and four moved in the wrong direction.
Franklin and Pitt counties worsened from Moderate Drought (D1) to Severe Drought (D2). Bertie and Hertford counties moved from Abnormally Dry (D0) back to Moderate Drought (D1). Extreme Drought (D3) held steady at 7 counties.
In the High Country, conditions are unchanged. Avery County remains drought-free. Caldwell County remains in Abnormally Dry (D0). Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, and Wilkes counties remain in Moderate Drought (D1).
Seventeen counties remain drought-free statewide. The weekly update, put out by the North Carolina Drought Management Council, shows 83 counties still experiencing some level of drought or abnormally dry conditions.
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
- Halifax
- Person
- Rockingham
- Warren
Total: 7
D2 – Severe Drought
- Alamance
- Bladen
- Columbus
- Duplin
- Edgecombe
- Forsyth
- Franklin
- Granville
- Greene
- Lenoir
- Macon
- Nash
- Northampton
- Orange
- Pitt
- Robeson
- Stokes
- Transylvania
- Vance
- Yadkin
Total: 20
D1 – Moderate Drought
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Anson
- Ashe
- Bertie
- Cabarrus
- Chatham
- Clay
- Craven
- Cumberland
- Davidson
- Davie
- Durham
- Harnett
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Hertford
- Hoke
- Iredell
- Jackson
- Johnston
- Jones
- Lee
- Martin
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Onslow
- Pender
- Randolph
- Richmond
- Sampson
- Scotland
- Stanly
- Surry
- Swain
- Union
- Wake
- Watauga
- Wayne
- Wilkes
- Wilson
Total: 41
D0 – Abnormally Dry
- Beaufort
- Caldwell
- Carteret
- Catawba
- Cherokee
- Cleveland
- Gaston
- Gates
- Graham
- Lincoln
- Mecklenburg
- New Hanover
- Pamlico
- Polk
- Rowan
Total: 15
Residents are strongly encouraged to continue water conservation efforts and stay informed about local drought conditions.
