Spring is in the air. In North Carolina, that means sunshine, pollen and … drought? If you’ve started spring planting, you’ve probably noticed your spade is kicking up a little extra dust.
“Folks that are getting out in the garden and farmers that are getting ready to plant their crops are noticing that the soil is very dry,” said Corey Davis, North Carolina’s assistant state climatologist.
One of the state’s most prominent climate impacts is a phenomenon called “weather whiplash.” It describes the intense swings between extreme rainfall and drought. Those long, dry periods take a toll on N.C. soil health.
“When we're in a prolonged dry period like we've been over the last few months, that means that soil really hardens up,” Davis said. “When you get those first few rain events trying to come out of a drought, that moisture can't really trickle down and penetrate the soil as well.”
North Carolina will need sustained showers over a longer period of time to break this drought, not a single deluge.
