Recent Posts

A photo of fall colors along the road in Macon County

Dry Weather Dominates a Cool, Crisp October

Most of the past month was rain-free, and also cooler than normal with a mid-month freeze event. Those conditions were ideal for leaf color, but...
An aerial photo of a bridge over water in eastern North Carolina

Our Curious Coast: Adaptation and Resilience

If this blog post series so far has taught us anything, it’s that in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain, the land has always been in a...
A photo of corn growing in Pamlico County

Our Curious Coast: Soils and Agriculture

Drive or fly across the Coastal Plain and you’re sure to find farms of all forms. Many grow cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and...
A photo of low water levels at Pig Basket Creek in Nash County

Summer Starts with Scarce Rain, Sizzling Heat in June

Our scattered showers were exactly that last month, while our temperatures turned up during two stretches of extreme heat. Both have caused expanding dryness and...
A map of percent of normal precipitation for the 90 days ending on May 31, 2022

May Concludes a Warm Spring with Mixed Rainfall

Hot weather arrived on schedule last month, while rain soaked some spots and missed others. That was the story of our spring in North Carolina....

Five Years Later, Five Lessons Learned from Matthew

It’s a rare storm that now stands out more for its similarities to, rather than its differences from, others in its era. Five years ago...
A photograph of a backyard rain gauge with more than 4 inches of water in it.

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...
A map of 30-day percent of normal precipitation for North Carolina

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....
March 2021 Precipitation Map

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....