Last Updated on June 18, 2015 12:56 pm
Data released June 16, 2015 by the United States Drought Monitor shows the High Country, and a majority of North Carolina, abnormally dry.
For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 24.66 percent of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 23.29 percent a week earlier.
Drought now affects 76,469,731 people, compared with 70,783,903 a week earlier.
For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 20.67 percent of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 19.52 percent a week earlier.
Drought now affects 78,323,542 people, compared with 72,399,806 a week earlier.
Rainfall data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center shows Boone as the 17th driest June since 1980 *as of June 16*
