Climate Summary

Temperature and Precipitation by climate division
Departures from Normal for October 2010 - based on preliminary data.

North Carolina generally experienced drier and much warmer conditions in October 2010 as compared to 30-year Normals. Many locations in the state experienced days with record-breaking heat and several days with temperatures in the 80s. Overall, the preliminary statewide average of 60.4°F ranks October 2010 as the 3rd warmest since 1985. Only October 1984 (60.6°F) and October 1919 (61.9°F) were warmer on average statewide than October 2010.

And while much of eastern NC welcomed drier weather after the record-breaking rainfall during the last week of September and first days of October, many parts of the southern Piedmont and mountain regions are getting a bit thirsty. Much of the southern Piedmont between Charlotte and I-95 received less than 1 inch of rainfall in October, increasing concerns for potential drought problems as we head into a winter that is more likely to be dry than wet in central and eastern NC. Statewide, October 2010 ranked as the 47th driest such month since records began in 1895.

A series of severe storms rolled through western and central NC during the last week of October bringing wind damage across the western half of the state and tornadoes between Lincoln and Granville Counties. While this storm produced several inches of rainfall along its track, the path was narrow and so had minimal benefits for drought concerns in the region.

Precipitation for October 2010
Based on estimates from NWS Radar
Data courtesy NWS/NCEP

Precipitation for October 2010: Percent of Normal
Based on estimates from NWS Radar
Data courtesy NWS/NCEP

Impacts to Agriculture and Water Resources

Drier conditions were welcome for growers working to harvest peanuts, soybeans, and cotton. However, the “feast or famine” of rainfall certainly isn’t what growers need. That being said, in much of eastern NC, topsoil conditions are adequate for winter grain planting.

While the heavy rainfall in late September and early October erased any immediate concerns of drought in eastern NC, it continues to be of concern in the western half of the state. According to the US Drought Monitor, parts of western NC were in D1 Moderate Drought. Water supply managers in the Catawba and Broad River Basins continue to monitor streams and reservoir levels closely. Winter is the period when we generally see re-charge in water resources (groundwater, streams, surface reservoirs), and managers will be watching to see how much recharge occurs during this coming winter with a La Nina event and drier conditions expected.

The NC Drought Management Advisory Council continues to have weekly technical conferences to review conditions and make recommendations to the US Drought Monitor.

US Drought Monitor for North Carolina
Courtesy NC DENR Division of Water Resources

SPC Storm Reports Interactive Database

Our new database allows users to interact with the severe weather reports provided by NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC). All tornado, hail, and wind reports from 1955 through the most recent completed year for the southeast are available, and a dynamically generated map can be created based on user-selected intensity criteria, date, and/or state.

The interactive map allows users to plot:

• Tornado origins (touch-down location), tracks, injuries, fatalities, and the number of tornado reports by county
• Hail events
• Wind events

Map layer options to display

Tornado events, by county, for the past 10 years (2000 through 2009)

For more information about a particular event, click the “i” icon found in the map menu bar, and then click on a particular storm. An information box will appear that displays all of the official SPC storm data (date, location, intensity) that was issued for that event.

Information on the 1988 F4 tornado event