Source: NC CLIMATE OFFICE, 6/17/21


At this time last month, drought had just emerged in North Carolina, and it was expected to expand and intensify even more by the end of May — which it did, encompassing more than half of the state.

But the turn of a page in the calendar also brought a turn of the spigot, especially across eastern North Carolina. After two weeks of heavy rainfall, drought is now on the retreat and folks across the Coastal Plain are dealing with the more familiar frustrations of saturated soils, streams, and flooding, which have been the norm over the past five years.

Rain Has Returned
The large-scale pattern in May saw high pressure parked over the Carolinas, which made for seasonable temperatures but also limited the formation of afternoon showers and acted as a roadblock for any approaching cold fronts.

Early June saw a pattern change as high pressure shifted off the mid-Atlantic coast. With the gates again open, weather systems wasted little time in moving back in. On June 2, a warm front from the south stalled out across the Coastal Plain, bringing a widespread 3 or more inches of rain.

For more of this story, click here.