North Carolina, 2026

Drought in North Carolina, April 1 to 30, 2026

April 1 to 30, 2026 · NWS GSP · 34 events in 34 counties and zones

A protracted period of abnormally dry weather that began in autumn of 2025 and continued through the winter culminated in extreme drought conditions across much of western North Carolina by early spring. Monthly precipitation was anywhere from 25 percent to 75 percent of normal for seven consecutive months beginning in September 2025.

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.

A protracted period of abnormally dry weather that began in autumn of 2025 and continued through the winter culminated in extreme drought conditions across much of western North Carolina by early spring. Monthly precipitation was anywhere from 25 percent to 75 percent of normal for seven consecutive months beginning in September 2025. The September through March period was one of the top 5 driest on record across much of the area. Portions of the Piedmont saw their driest September-through-March on record. Unusually warm weather in March and April of 2026 further contributed to evolving drought conditions. Both months were among the top 5 warmest on record at most major climate sites across the region. By early April, streamflow across the region was 25 to 50 percent of normal. Soil moisture levels were extremely low and only poor-to-fair crop conditions were reported during the critical spring planting period. The dry and warm conditions enhanced the wildfire danger across the region, but large wildfires were few and far between, likely due to a statewide burn ban that was initiated in late March. By the end of April, drought status had been upgraded to exceptional across portions of the Piedmont.

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 Mar 31, 6:32 PM EST, 5 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 6:32 PM EST, 5 hours 28 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
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Alexander forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.921, -81.177 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Avery

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Avery forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
36.077, -81.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Buncombe

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Buncombe forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.611, -82.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Burke Mountains

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Burke Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.750, -81.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cabarrus

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Cabarrus forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.387, -80.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Caldwell Mountains

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Caldwell Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.953, -81.546 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Catawba

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Catawba forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.663, -81.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cleveland

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Cleveland forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.334, -81.556 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Davie

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Davie forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.929, -80.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Eastern McDowell

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Eastern McDowell forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.681, -82.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Eastern Polk

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Eastern Polk forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.279, -82.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gaston

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Gaston forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.294, -81.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Graham

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Graham forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.350, -83.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Burke

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Greater Burke forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.750, -81.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Caldwell

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Greater Caldwell forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.953, -81.546 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Rutherford

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Greater Rutherford forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.402, -81.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Haywood

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Haywood forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.556, -82.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Henderson

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Henderson forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.336, -82.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Iredell

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Iredell forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.807, -80.873 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lincoln

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.486, -81.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Macon

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Macon forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.150, -83.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Madison

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.858, -82.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McDowell Mountains

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
McDowell Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.681, -82.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mecklenburg

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Mecklenburg forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.247, -80.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mitchell

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Mitchell forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
36.013, -82.163 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northern Jackson

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Northern Jackson forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Polk Mountains

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Polk Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.279, -82.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rowan

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Rowan forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.640, -80.525 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rutherford Mountains

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Rutherford Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.402, -81.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southern Jackson

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Southern Jackson forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Swain

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Swain forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.487, -83.493 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Transylvania

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Transylvania forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
35.202, -82.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Union

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Union forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.988, -80.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Yancey

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Yancey forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
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

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2026

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: 1330192, 1330193, 1330194, 1330195, 1330196, 1330197, 1330198, 1330199, 1330200, 1330201, 1330202, 1330203, 1330204, 1330205, 1330206, 1330207, 1330208, 1330209, 1330210, 1330211, 1330212, 1330213, 1330214, 1330216, 1330217, 1330218, 1330219, 1330220, 1330221, 1330222, 1330223, 1330224, 1330225, 1330226.