The extreme drought conditions that blanketed much of the Triad and High Country just a few weeks ago have eased significantly, with much of the region now in moderate drought.
National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Leins says the drought actually began last year. In July 2025, Tropical Cyclone Chantal produced heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of the Piedmont, but it left behind a period of dryness that extended through the winter and spring.
Leins says it’s hard to make significant progress on drought conditions during the summer months because rainfall is often short-lived and scattered.
“We really need widespread, moderate rainfall over the course of several days to really make a dent,” Leins says.
He says there was a period a few weeks ago when it rained nearly every day, bringing some areas relief.
“We still have a way to go, but there has been some improvement this summer, which is certainly good news,” Leins says.
The forecast calls for more scattered showers and thunderstorms over the next two weeks. But Leins says he expects drought conditions to remain about the same.