Last Updated on January 15, 2026 3:30 pm
In the latest drought update for North Carolina, most of the High Country remains in Moderate drought.
In the High Country, all of Watauga, Ashe, and Avery are in Moderate drought status.
The weekly update, put out by the North Carolina Drought Management Council, shows 59 counties in the Severe Drought category, 39 counties in Moderate Drought, and 2 counties 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
Alamance
Anson
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Cabarrus
Caswell
Chatham
Cleveland
Craven
Cumberland
Davidson
Davie
Duplin
Durham
Edgecombe
Forsyth
Franklin
Gaston
Graham
Granville
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Hertford
Hoke
Iredell
Johnston
Lee
Lenoir
Lincoln
Martin
Mecklenburg
Montgomery
Moore
Nash
Northampton
Orange
Person
Pitt
Polk
Randolph
Richmond
Rockingham
Rowan
Rutherford
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
Stokes
Swain
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Wayne
Wilson
Yadkin
Total: 59
D1 Moderate Drought
Alexander
Alleghany
Ashe
Avery
Brunswick
Buncombe
Burke
Camden
Catawba
Cherokee
Chowan
Clay
Columbus
Currituck
Dare
Gates
Haywood
Henderson
Hyde
Jackson
Jones
Macon
Madison
McDowell
Mitchell
New Hanover
Onslow
Pamlico
Pasquotank
Pender
Perquimans
Robeson
Surry
Transylvania
Tyrrell
Washington
Watauga
Wilkes
Yancey
Total: 39
D0 Abnormally Dry
Caldwell
Carteret
Total: 2
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