North Carolina, 2026Drought in North Carolina, January 6 to 31, 2026
January 6 to 31, 2026 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 4 counties and zones
00 inches, which ended up being 25 to 50 percent of normal for that period. These dry conditions combined with the dry fall conditions leading up to below average rainfall in November and December, contributed to a rapid decrease in groundwater and soil moisture in this region, where observed values for each had fallen to at or below the 10th percentile for groundwater, and 2nd to 5th percentile…
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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.
Severe Drought conditions were introduced across the North Carolina and Virginia Piedmonts in early January after the previous two months of November and December recorded precipitation totals of 2.00-4.00 inches, which ended up being 25 to 50 percent of normal for that period. These dry conditions combined with the dry fall conditions leading up to below average rainfall in November and December, contributed to a rapid decrease in groundwater and soil moisture in this region, where observed values for each had fallen to at or below the 10th percentile for groundwater, and 2nd to 5th percentile for soil moisture in the first 0-100 cm based off the NASA SPoRT LIS data estimated on the 6th of January. Streamflows similarly decreased across the area. This included the Yadkin River, which was observed to be below the 10th percentile per the USGS WaterWatch website and, in some cases, were near record-low flows.
Drought, Caswell
- When
- January 6, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Caswell forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 36.393, -79.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe Drought conditions were introduced to Caswell county in early January after the previous two months of November and December recorded precipitation totals of 2.00-4.00 inches, which ended up being 25 to 50 percent of normal for that period. These dry conditions combined with the dry fall conditions leading up to below average rainfall in November and December, contributed to a rapid decrease in groundwater and soil moisture in this region, where observed values for each had fallen to at or below the 5th percentile for groundwater, and 5th percentile for soil moisture in the first 0-100 cm based off the NASA SPoRT LIS data estimated on the 6th of January. Streamflows similarly decreased across the area. This included the Dan River, which was observed to be below the 5th percentile per the USGS WaterWatch website and, in some cases, were near record-low flows.
Drought, Rockingham
- When
- January 6, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Rockingham forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 36.396, -79.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe Drought conditions were introduced to Rockingham county in early January after the previous two months of November and December recorded precipitation totals of 2.00-4.00 inches, which ended up being 25 to 50 percent of normal for that period. These dry conditions combined with the dry fall conditions leading up to below average rainfall in November and December, contributed to a rapid decrease in groundwater and soil moisture in this region, where observed values for each had fallen to at or below the 5th percentile for groundwater, and the 2nd to 5th percentile for soil moisture in the first 0-100 cm based off the NASA SPoRT LIS data estimated on the 6th of January. Streamflows similarly decreased across the area. This included the Dan River, which was observed to be below the 5th percentile per the USGS WaterWatch website and, in some cases, were near record-low flows.
Drought, Stokes
- When
- January 6, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Stokes forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 36.402, -80.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe Drought conditions were introduced to Stokes county in early January after the previous two months of November and December recorded precipitation totals of 2.00-4.00 inches, which ended up being 25 to 50 percent of normal for that period. These dry conditions combined with the dry fall conditions leading up to below average rainfall in November and December, contributed to a rapid decrease in groundwater and soil moisture in this region, where observed values for each had fallen to at or below the 5th percentile for groundwater, and 2nd percentile for soil moisture in the first 0-100 cm based off the NASA SPoRT LIS data estimated on the 6th of January. Streamflows similarly decreased across the area. This included the Dan River, which was observed to be below the 5th to 10th percentile per the USGS WaterWatch website and, in some cases, were near record-low flows.
Drought, Yadkin
- When
- January 6, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Yadkin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 36.161, -80.665 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe Drought conditions were introduced to Yadkin county in early January after the previous two months of November and December recorded precipitation totals of 2.00-4.00 inches, which ended up being 25 to 50 percent of normal for that period. These dry conditions combined with the dry fall conditions leading up to below average rainfall in November and December, contributed to a rapid decrease in groundwater and soil moisture in this region, where observed values for each had fallen to at or below the 5th percentile for groundwater, and 2nd percentile for soil moisture in the first 0-100 cm based off the NASA SPoRT LIS data estimated on the 6th of January. Streamflows similarly decreased across the area. This included the Yadkin River, which was observed to be below the 5th to 10th percentile per the USGS WaterWatch website and, in some cases, were near record-low flows.
- 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.
- Winter Weather in Michigan, January 6 to 7, 20262 injured · 14 events
- Dense Fog in New Jersey, January 6 to 7, 202620 events
- Winter Weather in Vermont, January 6 to 7, 202617 events
- Dense Fog in Pennsylvania, January 6 to 7, 202612 events
- Drought in Oklahoma, January 6 to 31, 202611 events
- High Wind in Montana, January 6, 202670 kt wind · 11 events
- Drought in Georgia, January 6 to 31, 20268 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 6 to 7, 202673 kt wind · 7 events
- Drought in Indiana, January 6 to 31, 20266 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Washington, January 6 to 8, 20266 events
- Winter Weather in New York, January 6 to 7, 20266 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Montana, January 6 to 7, 20265 events
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: 1311001, 1311003, 1311004, 1311008.