North Carolina drought

Is Currituck County in a drought?

No drought

No. Currituck County has no drought and no abnormally dry areas on the Drought Monitor map of Sep 15, 2026. It was last in drought the week of Jul 14, 2026.

Map valid Sep 15, 2026, released Thursday, Sep 17, 2026. The next map is due Thursday, Sep 24, 2026. Statewide, 62.6% of North Carolina is in drought.

Currituck County forecastWeather alertsLive radar here

This week’s map

The Drought Monitor for North Carolina, valid Sep 15, 2026. County lines are drawn in; the categories are the same as the national map.

US Drought Monitor map of North Carolina for Sep 15, 2026, shaded D0 abnormally dry through D4 exceptional drought
  • D0 Abnormally dry
  • D1 Moderate drought
  • D2 Severe drought
  • D3 Extreme drought
  • D4 Exceptional drought

Open the live map with the Drought Monitor

Map courtesy of the US Drought Monitor, NDMC-UNL, with USDA and NOAA. Original at droughtmonitor.unl.edu

This week's map, by category

Percent of Currituck County in each category or worse, the Drought Monitor's own way of counting. In exactly one category this week: D0 0%, D1 0%, D2 0%, D3 0%, D4 0%; none 100%.

CategoryThis weekSep 15Last weekSep 83 months agoJun 16A year agoSep 16
D0 to D4 Abnormally dry or worse0%0%100%100%
D1 to D4 Moderate or worse0%0%100%0%
D2 to D4 Severe or worse0%0%63.9%0%
D3 to D4 Extreme or worse0%0%0%0%
D4 Exceptional drought0%0%0%0%
None100%100%0%0%

The past year

Percent of Currituck County in each category, week by week. Each color includes the worse categories drawn over it.

Percent of Currituck County in drought categories from Sep 16, 2025 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 0% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 0% is abnormally dry or worse.0%25%50%75%100%OctNovDec2026FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep
  • D0 Abnormally dry
  • D1 Moderate drought
  • D2 Severe drought
  • D3 Extreme drought
  • D4 Exceptional drought
Every week in the chart
MapD0+D1+D2+D3+D4+
Sep 15, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Sep 8, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Sep 1, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 25, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 18, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 11, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 4, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jul 28, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jul 21, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jul 14, 2026100%7.8%0%0%0%
Jul 7, 2026100%63.5%0%0%0%
Jun 30, 2026100%67.4%0%0%0%
Jun 23, 2026100%100%63.9%0%0%
Jun 16, 2026100%100%63.9%0%0%
Jun 9, 2026100%100%64.5%0%0%
Jun 2, 2026100%100%43.1%0%0%
May 26, 2026100%100%43.1%0%0%
May 19, 2026100%100%43.1%0%0%
May 12, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
May 5, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
Apr 28, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
Apr 21, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
Apr 14, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
Apr 7, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
Mar 31, 2026100%100%5.4%0%0%
Mar 24, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 17, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 10, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 3, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 24, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 17, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 10, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 3, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jan 27, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jan 20, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jan 13, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jan 6, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 30, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 23, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 16, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 9, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 2, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Nov 25, 202568.8%0%0%0%0%
Nov 18, 202568.8%0%0%0%0%
Nov 11, 202568.8%10.8%0%0%0%
Nov 4, 202568.5%10.8%0%0%0%
Oct 28, 2025100%71.3%10.1%0%0%
Oct 21, 2025100%56.3%0%0%0%
Oct 14, 202594.8%56.6%0%0%0%
Oct 7, 202593.5%56.6%0%0%0%
Sep 30, 202593.5%24.8%0%0%0%
Sep 23, 202530.5%0%0%0%0%
Sep 16, 2025100%0%0%0%0%

Since 2000

Every weekly map of Currituck County since January 2000.

Percent of Currituck County in drought categories from Jan 4, 2000 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 0% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 0% is abnormally dry or worse.0%25%50%75%100%200420082012201620202024
  • D0 Abnormally dry
  • D1 Moderate drought
  • D2 Severe drought
  • D3 Extreme drought
  • D4 Exceptional drought
Year by year
YearWorst categoryMost in droughtWeek ofWeeks with drought
2026D2 Severe drought100%Jan 1327 of 37
2025D2 Severe drought100%Jan 730 of 52
2024D1 Moderate drought100%Jun 2514 of 53
2023D1 Moderate drought100%Jan 1724 of 52
2022D1 Moderate drought100%Jan 416 of 52
2021D2 Severe drought100%Nov 29 of 52
2020D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2019D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2018D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2017D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2016None0%0 of 52
2015D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2014D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2013D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2012D1 Moderate drought12.7%Jan 315 of 52
2011D3 Extreme drought100%May 1715 of 52
2010D1 Moderate drought100%Aug 102 of 52
2009D1 Moderate drought100%Feb 172 of 52
2008D2 Severe drought100%Jan 137 of 53
2007D2 Severe drought100%Aug 2125 of 52
2006D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2005D1 Moderate drought77.8%Oct 41 of 52
2004None0%0 of 52
2003None0%0 of 52
2002D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 141 of 53
2001D2 Severe drought100%Oct 309 of 52
2000None0%0 of 52

Drought history since 2000

Some part of Currituck County was in drought on 18% of the weekly maps since Jan 4, 2000.

Weeks with some drought
257 of 1,394 (18%)
Worst category reached
D3 Extreme drought, last the week of Jul 5, 2011
Most widespread
100% in drought, week of Jun 23, 2026
Longest spell
50 weeks, Oct 30, 2001 to Oct 8, 2002
Last in drought
Week of Jul 14, 2026

Outlook

The Climate Prediction Center's drought outlooks at the center of Currituck County: whether drought is expected to develop, persist, improve or end.

Monthly outlook, Sep 2026
No drought expected
Seasonal outlook, through December 31 (issued Sep 17)
No drought expected

The monthly outlook is issued on the last day of each month, the seasonal one on the third Thursday. CPC's discussion.

What drought has meant in North Carolina

The National Drought Mitigation Center's examples of impacts observed in North Carolina at each level of drought.

D0 Abnormally dry

  • Lawns are brown
  • Pastures are dry; mild crop stress is noted; irrigation increases

D1 Moderate drought

  • Crop stress increases
  • Hay production is reduced; producers feed hay to cattle early
  • Increased signs of wildlife; trees and landscape are drought stressed
  • Streamflow is reduced; lake and reservoirs levels decline
  • Voluntary water conservation begins
  • Wildfire danger is higher than the seasonal normal

D2 Severe drought

  • Dryland crop yields are low
  • Swimming areas and boat ramps begin to close
  • Voluntary and mandatory water use restrictions are implemented, people are asked to refrain from nonessential water use
  • Wildfires are difficult to extinguish

D3 Extreme drought

  • Aquatic wildlife is dying; fewer trout are stocked
  • Hay is scarce, producers are purchasing outside of state; nitrate levels in forage are high
  • Hydropower generation decreases
  • Landscaping and greenhouse businesses lose revenue
  • Outdoor burn bans are implemented; wildfires are widespread
  • Voluntary conservation is requested even in sufficient water level areas; mandatory restrictions become more severe and fines are given to violators; stream levels are extremely low

D4 Exceptional drought

  • Daily life is affected for all citizens; people pray for rain; drought education seminars increase
  • Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is widespread in deer
  • Producers sell cattle; hay shortages and crop loss occur; farmers are stressed
  • Reservoirs are low; officials are counting the days of remaining water supply; well water is low; residents are hauling water

Drawn from the Drought Impact Reporter and local observers.

Burn bans and water restrictions

The Drought Monitor does not issue burn bans or water restrictions. Currituck County's officials, the state forestry or fire agency, and local water utilities set them, often once drought reaches D2 or dry fuels raise the fire danger. Check the county's emergency management office or fire marshal for a ban in force, and the alerts page for red flag warnings and fire weather watches.

This week in the Southeast

The Drought Monitor authors' narrative for the map of Sep 15, 2026, released Sep 17, 2026.

Central Virginia had moderate rainfall this past week, leading to some drought improvement. Most of the Carolinas into Georgia were warm and dry, however, resulting the regional degradation of drought conditions. Florida was generally wet and had drought improvement in small areas in the north, center, and south parts of the state. Meanwhile, Alabama continued to experience above normal temperatures and limited rainfall in the central to north, leading to large areas with drought degradation. There remain some areas of extreme drought in northern North Carolina, coastal South and North Carolina, and small areas in Florida.

Looking ahead

Over the next five days leading up to next Tuesday, above normal rainfall is forecast in south Florida as well as a large area in southern Wisconsin and Minnesota into eastern Iowa and northern Illinois. The latter area of forecasted rainfall continues to the east through central Michigan, the southern Great Lakes, Pennsylvania, New York, and much of central and southern New England. Other locations with rainfall in the forecast this week are in the Appalachian Mountains, the western Great Plains, and the Four Corners states. Unfortunately, most of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are forecast to receive little rainfall. Dry conditions are also forecast in California, Nevada, and Washington. Much above normal temperatures are forecast to continue this week in the central and southern U.S.

The 6- to 10-day outlook (September 22-26, 2026) favors above normal temperatures continuing over nearly all of the continental United States. Areas most likely to be above normal are again the south into the southeast, plus the far north. Hawaii is also likely to be above normal. For precipitation, the Eastern Seaboard is likely to have above normal rainfall as is the Southwest. The central U.S. into the upper Midwest is likely to have below normal rainfall. Hawaii and Alaska are both likely to have above normal rain during this period.

Written by Lindsay Johnson, National Drought Mitigation Center; David Mocko, SSAI, NASA/GSFC. The national narrative.

What this means

The five categories the Drought Monitor draws, and how the map is made.

D0 Abnormally dry
Going into or coming out of drought.
D1 Moderate drought
Some damage to crops and pastures; water shortages developing.
D2 Severe drought
Crop or pasture losses likely; water restrictions imposed.
D3 Extreme drought
Major crop and pasture losses; widespread water shortages.
D4 Exceptional drought
Exceptional and widespread losses; water emergencies.

The US Drought Monitor is drawn every week by authors at the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA and NOAA, who weigh rainfall, soil moisture, streamflow, groundwater, vegetation health and reports from local observers. Each map shows conditions through Tuesday morning and is released on Thursday. It shows where drought is and how bad it is; it does not forecast it. CPC's outlooks do that.

Nearby

The counties bordering Currituck County, with the worst category on this week's map.

Sources

Statistics and narrative from the US Drought Monitor, courtesy of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with USDA and NOAA. Outlooks from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Impacts from NDMC's State Impacts tool.