Drought in North Carolina, January 1 to 31, 2008

Name: Drought in North Carolina, January 1 to 31, 2008
Start: 2008-01-01T00:00
End: 2008-01-31T23:59
Location: North Carolina

January 1 to 31, 2008 · NWS GSP · 34 events in 34 counties and zones

|Most observing stations across the region reported a rainfall deficit of 1 to 2 inches during the month, resulting in another month of exceptional drought conditions across most of the area. Water levels on area lakes remained within a foot or two of record low stages.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 34 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 34

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.

January saw a return to dry weather across western North Carolina.|Most observing stations across the region reported a rainfall deficit of 1 to 2 inches during the month, resulting in another month of exceptional drought conditions across most of the area. Water levels on area lakes remained within a foot or two of record low stages. However, rivers and streams remained somewhat recharged from the December rains, with streamflow on most waterways running 25 to 75 percent of normal.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 9:36 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 9:36 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 31, 4:13 PM EST, 7 hours 47 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

34 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Alexander

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Alexander forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.921, -81.177 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Avery

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Avery forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 36.077, -81.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Buncombe

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Buncombe forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.611, -82.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Burke Mountains

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Burke Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.750, -81.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cabarrus

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cabarrus forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.387, -80.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Caldwell Mountains

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Caldwell Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.953, -81.546 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Catawba

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Catawba forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.663, -81.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cleveland

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.334, -81.556 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Davie

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Davie forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.929, -80.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Eastern McDowell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Eastern McDowell forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.681, -82.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Eastern Polk

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Eastern Polk forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.279, -82.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gaston

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Gaston forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.294, -81.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Graham

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Graham forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.350, -83.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Burke

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greater Burke forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.750, -81.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Caldwell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greater Caldwell forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.953, -81.546 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Rutherford

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greater Rutherford forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.402, -81.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Haywood

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Haywood forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.556, -82.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Henderson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Henderson forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.336, -82.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Iredell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Iredell forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.807, -80.873 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lincoln

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.486, -81.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Macon

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Macon forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.150, -83.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Madison

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.858, -82.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McDowell Mountains

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: McDowell Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.681, -82.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mecklenburg

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Mecklenburg forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.247, -80.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mitchell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Mitchell forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 36.013, -82.163 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northern Jackson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northern Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Polk Mountains

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Polk Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.279, -82.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rowan

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Rowan forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.640, -80.525 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rutherford Mountains

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Rutherford Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.402, -81.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southern Jackson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southern Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Swain

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Swain forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.487, -83.493 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Transylvania

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Transylvania forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.202, -82.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Union

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 34.988, -80.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Yancey

When: January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Yancey forecast zone
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.899, -82.308 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, January 2008

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 76572, 76573, 76574, 76575, 76576, 76577, 76578, 76579, 76580, 76581, 76582, 76583, 76584, 76585, 76586, 76587, 76588, 76589, 76590, 76591, 76592, 76593, 76594, 76595, 76596, 76597, 76598, 76599, 76600, 76601, 76602, 76603, 76604, 76605.