Rain brings little relief to NC drought

ASHEVILLE (AP) -- Last week's deluge of rain brought some relief to North Carolina's drought. But almost three-quarters of the state still face severely dry conditions. The latest figures released by the U.S. Drought Monitor show that about 13 percent of the state is now facing exceptionally dry conditions, down from 57 percent a week ago. The worst conditions are centered over North Carolina's westernmost counties. The Drought Monitor says all 100 counties still face some level of drought, with 73 percent of the state reporting severe conditions. Last week's rain brought as much as 6 inches of precipitation to parts of the state. But it wasn't enough to replenish the state's dwindling water supplies. Gov. Mike Easley has renewed his call for residents to conserve. (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)