Drought in Union, North Carolina

After a near-record dry April, the impacts of months-long precipitation deficits as high as 18 resulted in extreme to exceptional drought conditions lingering into May across western North Carolina. Many pastures and hayfields were rated poor-to-very poor, resulting in forage shortages. Crop stress affected soybeans, delayed or reduced planting for corn and other crops, and lowered vegetable yields. Reservoirs, lakes, and streams were well below normal (e.g. Fontana Lake around 18 feet below normal). Mandatory or voluntary conservation measures were in place in multiple systems, and some ponds and smaller supplies were critically low. Fire danger remained abnormally high and the wildfire season extended into May across the mountains, although the threat steadily decreased during the first half of the month owing to greenup and a continued statewide burn ban. A transition to a very wet pattern finally brought some relief late in the month, especially to the Blue Ridge, the foothills, and the southern Piedmont, where May rainfall wound up 125 to 175% of normal. Drought category was reduced to severe across much of these areas by the start of June.