Drought Monitor Update – Thursday, September 19, 2024

Last Updated on September 19, 2024 2:34 pm

In the latest drought update for North Carolina, the High Country continues to be classified in drought status, while moderate drought conditions expand in the southwestern part of the state, along with the return of severe drought status.

Watauga, Ashe, and Avery continue in abnormally dry status again this week, the 9th in a row.

The weekly update, put out by the North Carolina Drought Management Council, shows zero counties in the Extreme Drought status, 3 counties in the Severe Drought category, 6 counties in Moderate Drought, and 22 in Abnormally Dry status.

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.

D2 – Severe Drought

• Cherokee
• Clay
• Graham

Total: 3

D1 – Moderate Drought

• Buncombe
• Haywood
• Jackson
• Macon
• Madison
• Swain

Total: 6

D0 – Abnormally Dry

• Alleghany
• Ashe
• Avery
• Burke
• Caldwell
• Caswell
• Granville
• Halifax
• Henderson
• Hertford
• McDowell
• Mitchell
• Northampton
• Person
• Polk
• Rockingham
• Rutherford
• Transylvania
• Vance
• Warren
• Watauga
• Yancey

Total: 22