Severe Drought Persists Across North and South Carolina, Water Conservation Urged

Over 60 counties in North Carolina remain in some category of drought, with parts of Guilford, Rockingham, Lenoir, and Greene counties experiencing exceptional or extreme drought. Despite some recent rainfall in mountain and coastal areas, most of the state continues to see higher-than-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall. River, reservoir, and groundwater levels are below normal, prompting calls for water conservation. In South Carolina, the October 1, 2026, update from the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that 99.90% of the state is abnormally dry, 72.38% is in moderate drought, 33.05% in severe drought, and 5.73% in extreme drought.