The North Carolina Drought Advisory Council has announced severe drought conditions in 11 counties in eastern North Carolina.
Moderate drought conditions blanket 42 counties across the state, contributing to elevated wildfire conditions. Council chair Klaus Albertin said that a dry winter and warm November set the stage for the current drought.
The winter storm last week did little to quell the winter dryness, as 4 to 6 inches of snow equates to less than an inch of rainfall. The rest of winter will likely remain dry due to La Niña.