65 NC counties now under 'moderate drought'

Eleven counties have been added to the moderate drought category since last week, and 16 others are abnormally dry for early December. 

The central part of the state, including the Triad and western parts of the Triangle, are the most impacted areas. Coastal counties, boosted by rainfall from Hurricane Sandy, are not under drought conditions. 

Fall is usually one of the driest seasons, with North Carolina experiencing some form of drought in seven of the last 10 years, officials said. 

"Although we still haven't had any reports of public water supplies being affected, we are seeing impacts to streams, groundwater levels and inflows to reservoirs," Tom Reeder, director of the N.C. Division of Water Resources, said. 

At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, total precipitation for November was .56 inches, 2.56 inches below normal and much drier than last year, which featured precipitation just a bit above normal for the month.