May 25, 2023

Drought Early Warning Update for the

Northeast

Mixed Hydrological Signals Hold Most of the Region in Status Quo—But Teetering Toward Dryness

Key Points

• Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions took hold in northern Maine last week, but recent rain kept conditions from expanding and deteriorating. 
• This past week’s precipitation was balanced by earlier periods of drier and windier conditions, promoting a drought “holding pattern” for most of New England and New York.
• The cold dry air, responsible for freezing conditions last week, damaged some crops in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont and raised concerns for farmers about the increased variability of the weather and changing climate.
• Wildland fires, reported in both Massachusetts and New York, also reflected our region’s windy and dry periods over the past month. 

Figure 1: Departure from normal precipitation (inches) for Caribou Area, ME (blue), Boston Area, MA (black), Providence Area, RI (green), Bridgeport Area, CT (orange), Islip Area, NY (purple), and Binghamton Area, NY (red). Source: ACIS.

This Drought Early Warning Update is issued in partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to communicate concern for drought expansion and intensification within the Northeast U.S. based on recent conditions and the forecasts and outlooks. NIDIS and its partners will issue future Drought Early Warning Updates as conditions evolve.

This covers the following states in the Northeast U.S.: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York.

For more details, see the Northeast Drought Early Warning System Dashboard.

Additional Resources

• Northeast DEWS Dashboard
• NOAA Regional Climate Services
• Your local National Weather Service office
• NOAA Regional Climate Services Monthly Webinar Series (next webinar is June 29)
• USDA Northeast Climate Hub
• USGS New England and New York Water Science Centers
• Sign up for the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network listserv

Prepared By

Sylvia Reeves

NOAA/National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

Samantha Borisoff, Jessica Spaccio, Keith Eggleston, Art DeGaetano, and Natalie Umphlett

Northeast Regional Climate Center

Ellen Mecray

Regional Climate Services Director, Eastern Region, NOAA

Gardner Bent

USGS/New England Water Science Center

In partnership with National Weather Service Offices of the Northeast and State Climate Offices of the Northeast. 

View in browser