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Winter Recap 2020-21: La Niña Lays Low in a Persistent Wet Winter

Corey Davis

A screenshot of the AIR tool showing hourly PM2.5 concentrations, winds, and a satellite-derived smoke analysis at 3 pm on July 21, 2021

Aug 16, 2021

AIR Tool Offers Air Quality and Weather Data, in Detail

The State Climate Office and the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (NCDAQ) have partnered to build a new monitoring tool for those times when there’s something in the air, whether that’s a simmering summer afternoon, a gray and hazy evening, or even the hours after a holiday celebration. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain that one!)…
The July 2021 temperature summary infographic, highlighting the monthly average temperature, departure from normal, and comparison to historical and recent years

Aug 3, 2021

Amid a Subdued Summer, Elsa Adds More Rain in July

Summer heat remained scarce in North Carolina last month, while Elsa headlined a wet pattern across the Coastal Plain. Following Elsa, we look at where the tropics stand entering August. Cooler Temperatures Continue Our seasonable summer in North Carolina extended through much of July. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a preliminary statewide…
The June 2021 precipitation summary infographic, highlighting the monthly average temperature, departure from normal, and comparison to historical and recent years

Jul 2, 2021

Rainfall Extremes in June Jumble the State Drought Map

While the rain reigned in eastern North Carolina last month, the western Piedmont stayed dry and has seen a degradation on the state drought map. Plus, how do our temperatures compare to the recent records out west? From Really Dry to Record Wet In some months, a statewide average acts as a good representation for…
A photograph of a backyard rain gauge with more than 4 inches of water in it.

Jun 17, 2021

Drought Diminishes After Early June Deluges

At this time last month, drought had just emerged in North Carolina, and it was expected to expand and intensify even more by the end of May — which it did, encompassing more than half of the state. But the turn of a page in the calendar also brought a turn of the spigot, especially…
The May 2021 precipitation summary infographic, highlighting the monthly average temperature, departure from normal, and comparison to historical and recent years

Jun 3, 2021

May Flowers Wilt Amid Expanding Drought

It was a dry month for North Carolina in May, but also a cooler one with a unique high pressure pattern. The ongoing dry weather this spring has seen drought emerge and expand. Dry Weather Dominates Limited rainfall last month yielded one of the driest Mays in recent memory. According to the National Centers for…
A map of 30-day percent of normal precipitation for North Carolina

May 20, 2021

What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Drought

Moderate Drought conditions emerged in southeastern North Carolina last week, which was a rude reminder that it’s been a while since we’ve dealt with drought. A wet 2020 that carried over into a surprisingly wet winter this year meant flooding and saturated soils have been the bigger problems over the past 18 months. Among the…
The April 2021 precipitation summary infographic, highlighting the monthly average temperature, departure from normal, and comparison to historical and recent years

May 4, 2021

Scarce Showers in April Help Dryness Develop

A month of up-and-down temperatures also saw limited precipitation across the state. Plus, we review an eventful tropical off-season and preview the upcoming hurricane season. Big Temperature Swings The spring often sees a tug-of-war between the still-cold air to our north and warming tropical air to our south. Last month, their battleground was across North…
March 2021 Precipitation Map

Apr 2, 2021

Spring Blooms in March, But Winter Wetness Lingers

Our new website launches next week, and we’re using it to help illustrate a warm March that dried out in some areas but remains generally saturated after our wet winter. A New Website On the Way! Next Monday brings an exciting new update for our office, and for anyone in North Carolina who uses weather and climate data. Our new…
Winter 2020-2021 Snow Accmulation

Mar 16, 2021

Winter Recap 2020-21: La Niña Lays Low in a Persistent Wet Winter

Chalk it up to atmospheric anomalies or a forecast without foresight. Either way, this winter defied expectations and drenched most of North Carolina for yet another season. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the three-month period from December 2020 through February 2021 ranked as our 13th-wettest winter since 1895 based on the statewide average precipitation…