Old North News

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has expanded the moderate drought classification across 70 counties, as indicated in their latest advisory. The classification reflects parts of 70 counties as being under a moderate drought, while Onslow County experiences severe drought conditions. Additionally, 27 counties are labeled as abnormally dry.

Klaus Albertin, DMAC's chair, explained, “North Carolina saw another week of below or well below average rainfall. Impacts from the slow-growing, but widespread, drought had been limited due to lower water demands in winter, but are starting to be felt. Low humidity, high winds and dry vegetation have contributed to increased wildfire activity and impacts to agriculture.”

Responding to the increased fire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has implemented a ban on open burning and has nullified all burning permits statewide from 8 a.m. Friday, March 21, until further notice.

DMAC comprises drought experts from different government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, organized by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources. The council meets weekly to discuss drought conditions and submits recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center for the U.S. Drought Monitor updates. The drought map for North Carolina is updated every Thursday, reflecting the conditions up to the preceding Tuesday.

For additional information about the drought conditions in North Carolina or to view the updated drought map, interested parties can visit www.ncdrought.org. More educational resources are available at https://www.ncdrought.org/education.