May brought widespread rainfall and some drought relief, along with typical temperatures for this time of year. However, spring was warm and dry overall, leaving us looking for better rain chances later this year. A Precipitation Bounceback A long-awaited round of rainfall late in the month made this a near-normal May in terms of precipitation.…

The post Rain Returns in May As a Hot, Dry Spring Wraps Up first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

Big changes will be happening in the global atmosphere this summer, which could turn the tropical Atlantic from a hotbed into a ghost town, while also setting the stage for better rain chances locally by the end of the year. To break down what may happen during this hurricane season and beyond, we’re taking a…

The post El Niño Looms Large Over This Hurricane Season first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

Bowden is the sixth permanent director of the office, which has been stationed at NC State since 1980.

The post Bowden Named SCO Director and State Climatologist first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

Periods of summer-like heat and limited rainfall combined to cause drought intensification last month, which has led to new emerging impacts across the state. Untimely Temperatures Several long stretches of unseasonable temperatures boosted this to one of our warmest Aprils on record. Based on preliminary data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), last…

The post An Anomalous April Was Hot and Dry with Deepening Drought first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

As we remain mired in our worst statewide drought in more than 18 years, comparisons with historical droughts — especially that memorable 2007-08 event — have become common in recent weeks, including in our own assessment of the current drought and its impacts. We’ve generally labeled the 2007-08 drought as the worst in North Carolina’s…

The post A Century-Old Drought Offers Parallels to Today first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

With April showers staying away, record hot temperatures in recent weeks, and rainfall deficits continuing to increase, Extreme Drought conditions have been expanding explosively across North Carolina this month. With drought impacts becoming more apparent, including water restrictions being implemented in parts of the state, we recently assembled a panel of drought experts from the…

The post About Extreme Drought: What to Know This Spring and Beyond first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

Spring kicked into high gear in March, with warm weather and high pollen counts, mostly dry conditions and emerging drought impacts, and the first severe storms of the year. Warm Weather Blossoms With winter’s chill now behind us, March brought spring-like weather and overall above-normal temperatures across North Carolina. Data from the National Centers for…

The post Severe Pollen, Severe Drought, and Severe Storms Ramp Up in March first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

It wouldn’t be a classic North Carolina winter without a bit of ice, a solid snow, and temperatures running the full range from frigid to spring-like – sometimes only days apart. We fit all of those and more into the 2025-26 winter. In this post, we’ll wrap up the season with a look at the…

The post Winter Recap 2025-26: Cool and Dry, With a Snowy Centerpiece first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.

Snow and rain each fell in an overall dry February, which featured both winter chill and spring-like warmth. In one constant last month, drought continued with no improvements just yet. A Snowy Start, Then Weekly Rainfall Despite multiple precipitation events in both a frozen and a liquid form, February finished as another dry month for…

The post Snow Melted, But Severe Drought Continued in February first appeared on North Carolina State Climate Office.