By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — In the latest drought monitor update, there was only a small, nearly unnoticeable increase in drier than average conditions across North Carolina.
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While only 5 percent of North Carolina was dealing with an extreme or exceptional drought last week, that number has decreased, although only slightly.
Despite the hit-or-miss rain over the past week, the fact that the drought didn’t get worse for many is a good trend, but the drought is unlikely to improve in a significant way over the next month, unless we receive significant rainfall.
September, on average, is our wettest month, with 5.15 inches of rain in the area, but most of that is associated with tropical cyclones. With a below-average hurricane season already in full force, the lack of tropical systems is contributing to our drought, in addition to strong ridges of high pressure.
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These high pressures contribute to our dangerously hot weather, and suppress decent rain chances.
As we get closer to fall, cold fronts coming down from the north could bring more chances for rain and help decrease the rainfall deficit, until then, we wait for more precipitation to soak into the ground.
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