GREENSBORO, N.C. — The record rains of last year are in the rear view mirror now. Dry weather has returned to North Carolina, and drought is settling in for the first time in more than a year.
The latest drought report, released Thursday, shows a moderate drought beginning in coastal North Carolina from the South Carolina border to Emerald Isle, including Wilmington and Jacksonville. This is the first time there's been a significant area of drought in the state since February of 2018.
Here in the Piedmont, we've been very dry recently but still are on the edge of any formal drought. This week's report did classify parts of the northern Piedmont as "abnormally dry", which can be considered pre-drought conditions.
You'll remember that 2018 set records for wet weather across the state. Here in the Triad, we had over 60 inches of rain, the most on record. Our very wet weather pattern has been breaking down in the last month. In fact, as of Thursday the Triad has been dry 16 of the last 17 days.
If the dry weather continues in the weeks ahead, drought will likely spread to more areas in the state.
