Drought continues to grip much of the Piedmont and High Country. Typically, the spring brings more storm activity to the Triad, and along with it, plenty of rain — on average, 15 inches or more by mid-May. So far in 2026, it’s been roughly half that, and 67 counties are experiencing extreme drought.
National Weather Service Raleigh meteorologist Andrew Kren says much of this is due to a slower-than-normal transition away from a La Niña climate pattern.
"We've been coming out of this La Niña since the winter, which usually favors high-pressure ridging across the southeast," says Kren. "And that usually suppresses a lot of rainfall and storm activity from pushing as far east as it usually would."
Looking ahead to the next few weeks, Kren predicts a wetter end to the month of May with a 30 to 40% chance for above normal rainfall totals. Beyond that, he sees the possibility of some improvement in the drought conditions this summer. But he adds, given the expected warmer temperatures, without the arrival of a tropical system like El Niño, the drought will likely continue.