(The Center Square) – Rain has arrived and is forecast for Thursday and Friday, helping greatly in North Carolina’s statewide drought.
Through 4:15 a.m. Thursday, rainfall in the Triad had exceeded 4 inches in High Point (6.35 inches), Burlington (5.19), Greensboro (5.01), Winston-Salem (4.46) and High Point (4.19), the National Weather Service said. The 8 a.m. release by the U.S. Drought Monitor said 28.73% of the state was in exceptional or extreme drought, areas that included all of those cities in a region along with eight Virginia border counties that dipped just north of Charlotte and the Sandhills.
Exceptional drought, the most extreme of five drought conditions used, was in a portion of Rockingham and Guilford counties near Caswell and Alamance county borders; and in eastern Brunswick County and southern Columbus County at the South Carolina border.
Last week, all of the state was at least abnormally dry; 94.87% was in moderate drought or more; 79.35% was severe or more; 38.7% was extreme or more; and 5.32% was in exceptional drought. This week, 99.99% is abnormally dry, 91.23% moderate or more, 79.23% severe or more, 28.73% extreme or more, and 1.97% exceptional.
On April 21, 100% of the state was in moderate drought or more; 95.54% was severe or more; 38.11% was extreme or more; and no area was in exceptional drought.
Abnormally dry, on Thursday, was the designation in parts of Madison, Buncombe and Yancey counties along the Tennessee border; and along the coast in all or parts of Gates, Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Washington, Tyrrell, Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico and Carteret counties.
Rain pushing across portions of the state was causing flash flooding forecasts in the northern Piedmont and the northern Coastal Plain inclusive of the Triad and Triangle.
River levels, boosted by Monday rain, were falling Thursday for the most part and expected to rise again over the weekend from the midweek rain. The National Weather Service said the Yadkin, Cape Fear, Neuse, Tar and Roanoke rivers were likely to be impacted, though none were expected to go higher than a minor flood stage.
The Quarry Road Fire, which began July 10 in Brunswick County, is 75% contained, a release from the county government office said Wednesday. It has burned 283 acres. The N.C. Forest Service denied county commissioners’ request for a state-mandated burn ban.
“Even though we disagree with their decision, we appreciate the Forest Service taking the time to meet with county staff and consider our request,” Brunswick County Commission Chairman Mike Forte said in a release. “While we respect that they have certain processes to making these decisions, we do not feel the decision reflects the sentiment of the commissioners or many members of the community concerning our current fire risk.”
A burn ban issued by the county fire marshal for unincorporated areas that began June 8 remains in effect.
July is a prime month in the state’s agricultural fruit and vegetable availability. Included are blackberries, blueberries, butterbeans, cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, cherry tomatoes, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, figs, garlic, green onions, greens, herbs, honeydew melons, nectarines, okra, onions, peaches, peanuts, peppers, plums, potatoes, snap beans, sprite melons, yellow squash, sweet corn, sweetpotatoes, tomatoes, watermelon and zucchini.
For row crops vital to the industry, the rain is especially needed for corn, soybeans, tobacco, cotton and peanuts.
Agriculture and agribusiness are a $102 billion annual economic impact for North Carolina. It has been the state’s No. 1 industry forever. About 42,500 farms are operated on 8.1 million acres from Murphy to Manteo.
The state is eighth in the nation in value of agricultural products sold, 14th in exports.
North Carolina production is No. 1 nationally each in sweetpotatoes, all tobacco, flue-cured tobacco, and poultry and eggs. The state is No. 2 in Christmas tree sales, production of turkeys, and food-size trout sold. It is No. 3 in cucumbers and hogs, No. 4 in peanuts and broilers (chicken), and No. 5 in cotton.
