North Carolina Weekly Crop Survey – October 25, 2026
Drought Impact Analysis From Extension Agents Across the State
Drought Impact (County Reported)
Select a level to isolate it on the map.
Comment Signal
Worsening / crop stress intensifying
Some relief / conditions improving
Uneven rainfall / mixed conditions
Persistent drought / little change
Map of county-reported drought impact
Every county on this map is listed, grouped by impact level, at the end of this page under “View county data as a list”.
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Statewide Trends
Many counties reported little to no recent rainfall and several observers noted forecasts with no expected precipitation.
Forage and pasture conditions are strained statewide, with multiple reports of low hay supplies and limited stockpiled forage.
Corn and soybean areas across the Piedmont and coastal plains are experiencing drought stress, with some counties reporting yield and health impacts.
Tobacco-producing counties reported reduced yields and low leaf supply in areas affected by drought.
Top Statewide Concerns
- Low soil moisture
- Hay shortages
- Low stream and pond levels
- Crop yield and health loss
- Delayed wheat/small-grain planting
- Saltwater intrusion in coastal fields
Regional summaries
West / Mountains & Foothills
(Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Gaston, Madison, Yancey)
- Mixed conditions: Burke reports no real impacts while Gaston and Madison are in moderate drought.
- Yancey and other areas are abnormally dry with lower surface stream levels but public water systems and wells remain in good shape.
- Dry conditions are reducing stockpiled forages and are likely to increase winter hay needs.
Piedmont / Sandhills
(Anson, Chatham, Davie, Forsyth, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Person, Scotland, Stokes, Surry, Wake, Yadkin)
- Widespread drought in the Piedmont with several counties in severe or extreme drought (Anson, Chatham, Lee, Stokes, Person).
- Pastures and forages are stressed, with reports of low hay supplies and impacts to pasture health.
- Many counties report little to no recent rainfall and drought-related crop yield or health impacts, including tobacco and corn areas.
North & Central Coastal Plain
(Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Craven, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Johnston, Northampton, Wilson)
- Craven is in exceptional drought and multiple counties are in severe drought (Bertie, Camden, Halifax), with very low subsoil and surface water levels.
- Low water tables and pond levels are preventing wheat/small-grain planting in some areas and limiting irrigation availability.
- Hyde reports saltwater intrusion into fields and exposed drainage infrastructure issues due to the lack of rainfall.
Southeast Coastal Plain
(Bladen, Brunswick, Duplin, Pender, Robeson, Sampson)
- Brunswick reports severe drought while surrounding coastal plain counties are generally abnormally dry.
- Most counties continued a dry-weather trend this week, though Pender received some rain from a tropical storm.
- Topsoil moisture is variable across the region, sufficient in some areas and dry in others.
County Comments Highlights (selected notes from impact and additional comments)
Craven
Lack of any soil moisture preventing wheat planting. Subsoil water level, rivers, ponds very, very low
Person
dry conditions continue and are worsening northern half of county continues in extreme drought; conditions are worsening with no recent rainfall; whole county is experiencing some level of drought
Bertie
The drought has only worsened since my last report
Hyde
Saltwater has been pushed up into fields during the nor'easter, due to the lack of rainfall fields will sustain saltwater intrusion damage. The drier weather has revealed drainage infrastructure issues (leaking tidegates and saltwater entry points) that have previously been masked by high tides paired with rainfall.
Johnston
After a week of light to moderate wind and no rain, the soils have started to dry down, and the water tables have lowered. Ponds, creeks, and local swamps are lower than normal. After a week of light to moderate wind and no rain, the soils have started to dry down, and the water tables have lowered. Ponds, creeks, and local swamps are lower than normal.
Wake
We are still technically in drought conditions however, impacts on crops are not as apparent. Soybean harvest will be occurring through the next few weeks, cooler weather will benefit but impacts to yield due to drought will have mostly occurred (and is variable). Strawberries have been planted but most are irrigated.
Burke
No real drought impacts at this time
Davie
There are no drought impacts at this time.
Robeson
We are still in a rainfall deficit but declining temperatures are helping. Topsoil moisture is sufficient in areas and dry in others.
Scotland
abnormally dry conditions. small grain planting is delayed
Yancey
We continue to be very dry in Yancey County. Surface stream levels are down from what is normal this time of year, but city water systems, wells, and springs are still in good shape. With lower temperatures and having experienced a killing frost, most cold susceptible crops (vegetables) that are in production now are produced in hi-tunnels. Dry conditions seem to be greatly limiting stock-piled forages. This will increase hay needs for winter feeding since the stockpile production seems to be limited due to persistent dry conditions and little rainfall. This will most likely further exhaust an already low supply of hay, which was the result of drought conditions which persisted in the spring and summer months.
County analysis as a list
View county analysis as a list
Exceptional Drought (1 county)
- Craven - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
Extreme Drought (1 county)
- Person - Persistent drought / little change
Severe Drought (9 counties)
- Anson - Persistent drought / little change
- Bertie - Persistent drought / little change
- Bladen - Persistent drought / little change
- Brunswick - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Camden - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Chatham - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Halifax - Some relief / conditions improving
- Lee - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Stokes - Persistent drought / little change
Moderate Drought (8 counties)
- Forsyth - Some relief / conditions improving
- Gaston - Persistent drought / little change
- Hyde - Persistent drought / little change
- Johnston - Persistent drought / little change
- Madison - Persistent drought / little change
- Montgomery - Persistent drought / little change
- Wake - Persistent drought / little change
- Wilson - Persistent drought / little change
Abnormally Dry (15 counties)
- Avery - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Beaufort - Persistent drought / little change
- Burke - Persistent drought / little change
- Davie - Some relief / conditions improving
- Duplin - Persistent drought / little change
- Hertford - Persistent drought / little change
- Hoke - Persistent drought / little change
- Northampton - Persistent drought / little change
- Pender - Persistent drought / little change
- Robeson - Persistent drought / little change
- Sampson - Some relief / conditions improving
- Scotland - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Surry - Persistent drought / little change
- Yadkin - Persistent drought / little change
- Yancey - Persistent drought / little change
No mapped response (1 county)
- Caldwell - Persistent drought / little change
Note: Map reflects county-reported drought classifications from the October 25, 2026 survey. Comment signal summarizes the tone of county narrative responses. Counties without a clearly mapped report remain unshaded.