Most of southeast North Carolina in the grip of a moderate droug - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Most of southeast North Carolina remains under moderate drought conditions.  Much of Bladen, Sampson, and Duplin counties are classified as abnormally dry.

Wilmington's rainfall deficit is over five inches for 2012 and over twenty inches dating back to January 2011.  Since Saturday the combination of very warm temperatures and high winds have made for ideal fire conditions.  These conditions lead to a big woods fire near Hampstead on Saturday and Wilmington's Pine Valley fire on Monday.

In the coming days: higher humidity, lower wind speeds, and cooler temperatures will lessen the fire danger.  We'll also have chances at isolated scattered showers and thunderstorms.  We may even get a widespread soaking rain on Sunday.   

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