Drought Expands and Intensifies Across the Mid-Atlantic

Current Drought Conditions

Drought: Between April 21 and May 5, existing drought worsened in Virginia and portions of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Extreme Drought (D3) expanded to cover 18% of Virginia. Severe Drought (D2) is now present in parts of all six Mid-Atlantic states, from southern areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to West Virginia. Southern Delaware saw a 2-category degradation on the U.S. Drought Monitor over the last two weeks.

Limited rainfall: Over the past 30 days, below-normal precipitation fell over most of the Mid-Atlantic, excluding northwest Pennsylvania. Large portions of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware had less than half their normal precipitation.

Drought Impacts

Low streamflow: Record-low streamflows exist in parts of all six Mid-Atlantic states. This includes parts of the Potomac River Basin, which supplies water to the District of Columbia, and the Dan, New, and Rappahannock River Basins in Virginia. As of May 7, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gage along the Potomac River at Little Falls continued to set daily record lows, with the river falling to its lowest level in 130 years.

Low groundwater and soil moisture: Groundwater and soil moisture conditions are also declining. As of May 10, groundwater levels continued to fall, with record-low levels measured in areas of all six states. Soil moisture was also notably reduced across parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and southeastern Pennsylvania. Some locations continue to encourage water conservation.

Impacts to crops and livestock: Drought conditions in Virginia are impacting crop growth; a local agricultural extension agent reported yields from first cuttings of hay may be reduced by at least 50%. Condition Monitoring Observer Reports from West Virginia noted dry soils, declining water levels in ponds, and hauling water for livestock. New Jersey farmers started irrigating earlier than usual and are worried about this year’s peach crop. U.S. Department of Agriculture drought disaster declarations allow farmers in nine Maryland counties (and some nearby counties) to apply for assistance.

Increased wildfire risk: Dry conditions in Virginia prompted several local governments to institute burn bans due to increased wildfire risk.

Outlooks and Forecasts

Looking ahead: As of May 11, the National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center (CPC)’s 6-10 day outlook favors below- or near-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures for a majority of the Mid-Atlantic; however, above-normal precipitation is favored for parts of western Pennsylvania and slivers of northern and western West Virginia. The 8-14 day outlook predicts near- to above-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures for the region.

Drought may persist: The NWS CPC’s seasonal drought outlook (valid May 1 – July 31, 2026) favors drought persistence for nearly all areas of the Mid-Atlantic currently in drought (D1-D4). This includes almost the entire region, except for northern, central, and western Pennsylvania.

Precipitation

Streamflows

30-day percent of normal precipitation ranged from less than 25% in parts of Virginia to over 150% in northwest Pennsylvania. Source: Applied Climate Information System (ACIS).

Record low 7-day streamflows are present in West Virginia, Maryland, southeast Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia. Source: USGS Water Data for the Nation (via the Northeast DEWS dashboard)

For More Information

Learn more about current drought conditions in the region from the Northeast Regional Climate Center and the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

For more information:

Find state, county, and/or local drought information from the Location pages on drought.gov. Explore drought data and maps, historical information, outlooks, and more at various levels.
National Drought Mitigation Center Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR)
Submit or view reports.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center
NOAA's National Weather Service Drought Information Statements

We Need Your Reports!

As conditions evolve, accurate reports on conditions and drought impacts are critical to accurately assess what parts of the region are in drought and what parts are not. Whether your area is currently wet, close to normal, or dry, please consider reporting conditions and any drought impacts you see or hear via the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) from the National Drought Mitigation Center. If you are already a CoCoRaHS observer, we encourage you to submit a Condition Monitoring Report.

News and Events

Building Drought Resilience in the Mid-Atlantic:

Strategic Planning Meeting for New Mid-Atlantic Drought Early Warning System

From the unpredictability of flash droughts to dry conditions that threatened water supplies in major cities last year, the Mid-Atlantic faces complex challenges. To confront these growing risks, more than 50 federal, state, academic, and regional stakeholders convened to begin shaping the Mid-Atlantic Drought Early Warning System (DEWS).

On April 9, 2026, NIDIS, along with the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC), brought together partners in the Mid-Atlantic to identify unique drought-related issues in the Mid-Atlantic region and strengthen drought preparedness and resilience. The Mid-Atlantic DEWS strategic planning meeting helped define a strategic vision and steps to enhance regional coordination across the region, with a goal of producing a 5-year strategic plan to guide regional DEWS implementation by the end of the year. Learn more >

Call for Abstracts for NOAA's 50th Climate Diagnostics Prediction and Applications Workshop (CDPAW)

The CDPAW workshop will be held at the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction (NCWCP) in College Park, Maryland on September 1-4, 2026. One of the four 4 major themes of this year’s workshop is Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Analysis, Applications, and Services. The workshop will feature oral presentations, invited speakers, panel discussions, and poster sessions.

When: September 1 - 4, 2026
Where: College Park, Maryland
Abstract deadline: June 8, 2026

Learn more >

Check Out the Mid-Atlantic DEWS on Drought.gov

The Mid-Atlantic DEWS now has its own webpage on drought.gov! This page provides an overview of drought in the Mid-Atlantic, as well as regional drought activities and resources. Is a key resource for the region missing from this page? Let us know! NIDIS is committed to keeping this page updated with the most important information concerning drought in the region.