Drought conditions are improving across North Carolina after rain from Hurricane Irene and the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. Division of Water Resources spokeswoman Sarah Young says some areas of eastern North Carolina were under extreme drought conditions just days before Irene made landfall on the Outer Banks a few weeks ago.
Sarah Young: "All of the coastal counties in the eastern part of the state were under some form of drought or dry condition. And now most all of the eastern counties are under normal conditions with the exception of a couple of counties that are still experiencing an abnormally dry or moderate drought."
However, flooding from Irene caused about $300 million in crop damage. And much of central and western North Carolina remain in abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions. Several communities in isolated areas have issued mandatory water conservation orders, including neighborhoods in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Wilmington.