Hot, dry weather brings back drought conditions

For the first time in almost two years, no North Carolina county is experiencing drought conditions, officials said Thursday.

Posted 4:10 p.m. Jul 5, 2012 — Updated 4:10 p.m. Jul 5, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — After a month of being free of drought conditions statewide, the searing heat and lack of consistent rainfall in recent weeks have put 17 North Carolina counties back into a moderate drought, officials said Thursday.

Drought conditions can be found across the Triangle and in a stretch along the South Carolina border from Charlotte to the mountains. Conditions in 35 other counties across the middle of the state and along the southeast coast are listed as abnormally dry.

“We’re seeing impacts to streamflows, inflows into reservoirs and low groundwater levels, but we are not seeing widespread impacts to public water supplies,” Donna Jackson, chairwoman of the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, said in a statement. “At this point, we want people to be prepared to take the appropriate actions to save water should conditions worsen during the coming months.”

North Carolina had been drought-free since May 29.

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