Ask the Meteorologist: What are the chances of our drought ending anytime soon?

With water use restrictions now in place for the city of Raleigh and little rain in sight, the drought conditions across our area have been top of mind.
Posted 4/16/2026, 11:31:56 AM

IN DAMAGE WAS CAUSED ACROSS

THE STATE.

WELL, WITH THE BEING SUCH A DRY

START TO SPRING. AND FIRST PART

OF THE YEAR, WE WOULD NEED A

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAIN

WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH TO END

OUR DROUGHT. METEOROLOGIST

GRANT SKINNER JOINS US NOW HERE

IN THE WRAL, SEVERE WEATHER

CENTER AND GRANT. THIS HAS BEEN

THE DRIEST START TO THE YEAR

ON RECORD AND HEAD UP THE ON

THIS BACK IN FEBRUARY'S.

WANT TO GIVE ANOTHER UPDATE

ON KIND OF HOW MUCH RAIN WE THE

TOTAL TO BREAK THE DROUGHT

AGAIN, DRIEST JANUARY, FIRST OF

APRIL, 15 TIMEFRAME ON RECORD

AT RDU.

>> 3RD DRIEST, THE FIRST PART

OF SPRING. A 1.7 1 INCHES.

RAIN IS ALL WE'VE SEEN FOR

SPRING SO FAR. IT'S 4.1, 4

INCHES BELOW NORMAL IN THE 6TH

DRIEST START TO SPRING AND

FAYETTEVILLE, LOOK AT THIS.

THAT SEVERE DROUGHT COVERS

ALMOST OUR ENTIRE AREA IN

EXTREME DROUGHT FOR

NORTHEASTERN SPOTS. WE WOULD

NEED PROBABLY BETWEEN 8 AND 10

INCHES OF RAIN FOR THE MAJORITY

OF OUR AREA TO BREAK THE

DROUGHT WITHIN A ONE MONTH

PERIOD FOR AREAS TO OUR SOUTH

AND WEST BACK TOWARDS MORE

COUNTY AND THROUGH CHARLOTTE,

12 AND A HALF INCHES FOR THE

SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS, 13, A HALF

INCHES. BOONE UP TO AROUND 10

INCHES OF RAIN NEEDED AND THE

CHANCE OF THAT HAPPENING IS

BETWEEN 0 AND ONE PERCENT FOR

THE MAJORITY OF OUR AREA.

WE HAVE THE 2% BACK TOWARDS

GREENVILLE, BUT STILL, WE IT'S

THE CHANCE OF THAT HAPPENING IS

PRETTY SLIM. SO A SIGNIFICANT

AMOUNT OF RAIN IS NEEDED AND IT

LOOKS LIKE A LIZARD. YOU ONLY

GET THAT ANYTIME SOON. WE NEED

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