Hampton Roads drought persists with Norfolk airport 12.78 inches short of normal rainfall

Norfolk International Airport, the region's official weather observation station, had recorded 30.48 inches of precipitation since 1 January 2026 as of 5 November, 12.78 inches below normal, Jessica Whitehead of Old Dominion University told WTKR. The airport logged 2.96 inches between 5 October and 5 November, which Whitehead said tied for the seventh-driest such period on record.

The National Weather Service in Wakefield put about 46% of its forecast area in drought ranging from moderate to extreme in its 29 October 2026 drought information statement. The same statement reported that conditions had worsened by one or two categories across parts of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina over the previous four weeks.

"The drought monitor is a broad look at conditions for a large area rather than specific target areas," a Norfolk spokesperson told WAVY.

Why a wet summer did not refill the reservoirs

Heavy summer storms did not undo the deficit, Whitehead told WTKR. "The Tidewater region has been flirting with drought since last December," she said. Signs of regional dryness first appeared in September 2025, and by early December Norfolk had reached D0, the U.S. Drought Monitor's abnormally dry category. Conditions worsened through spring 2026 and peaked in May, she said. Since mid-August, drought severity has again been increasing across Hampton Roads. She described the August downpours as "rain bombs" that "run right off" rather than soaking in. Much of that water flowed quickly into the Chesapeake Bay instead of providing lasting relief, she said.

How low the reservoirs are

Western Branch, which covers 1,265 acres north of downtown Suffolk, is the primary source of drinking water for all of Norfolk, Virginia Beach and parts of Chesapeake and Suffolk, according to Emma Reidelbach, Norfolk's reservoir manager. Lake Prince and Lake Burnt Mills, in Suffolk and Isle of Wight County, fill it.

WAVY reported on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, that the reservoir stood 7.5 feet below its top, five feet below what it typically measures in October, and that Norfolk had closed the boat ramps at Western Branch and Lake Burnt Mills because of the low water. Reidelbach said she has seen land around the reservoir's shoreline that had not been visible in some time. "Regionally, we're down about 10 inches. But at these lakes in particular, we're measuring at at least 17 inches that we've been down for the last year," she said. The reservoirs depend on annual rainfall to refill, she said, and the region has not been getting it for the last year or so. Reidelbach said the city has wells running at full capacity and has been for months, in addition to running Lake Gaston at full capacity. She was referring to the 78-mile pipeline that brings water in from Brunswick County.

What residents are being asked to do

Norfolk issued a Condition II drought notification on 10 September 2026, and Virginia Beach issued a similar conservation request the next day, according to WAVY. The Norfolk notice restricts lawn and landscaping watering, vehicle washing, decorative fountains, non-emergency hydrant use, pool filling and pavement washing. Restaurants may serve water only when customers ask for it.

"The total system storage is currently at 79%, which is nearly 10% below the historical average," a city spokesperson told WAVY.

WAVY also reported that both cities remained under voluntary water restrictions and had placed conservation guidance prominently on their government websites. Suggested steps include shorter showers, full loads in dishwashers and washing machines, fixing dripping taps and collecting rainwater for plants.

What happens next

"We still have enough water to provide for everyone, and that's not the concern right now. It's more of being proactive so we don't have to move into a mandatory status," Reidelbach said.

"We want to see it over several hours, possibly even over several days. Give it really enough time to soak in and have our ecosystems use it, and then have some of it run off into our reservoirs," Whitehead said.