“Despite a few small areas of moderate rain, most of the dry areas in the Northeast Region saw little or no precipitation” in the week ending at 8 a.m. on Aug. 16, the drought monitor says. “Extreme drought pushed westward across Rhode Island and toward central Massachusetts and easternmost Connecticut.”
Rainfall was 2 inches to 5 inches below normal in the last 60 days from southeastern New England through southeastern New York and northern New Jersey. Many locations from northeastern New Jersey through southeastern New York had at least 6-inch shortfalls, according to the drought monitor.
As of Aug. 17, 62 wells had run dry in Maine and water restrictions continued, and in some cases intensified, in parts of New England, New York and New Jersey. As of Aug. 11, 72 New Hampshire water systems and six municipalities had water restrictions in effect. All but four were mandatory. Low water levels on some of Maine’s waterways have stressed fish and affected recreational activities. New Hampshire officials have encouraged homeowners relying on well water to test their water quality. Lower-than-normal water levels in wells can lead to an increased concentration of undesirable minerals, the climate center says.
Meanwhile, significant drought conditions will result in elevated fire weather concerns today in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Relative humidity values will drop to near 35 percent across interior portions this afternoon, with west winds gusting to between 20 mph and 30 mph. The highest gusts are expected across northeast Massachusetts, according to a special weather statement.
More images, including just-released temperature and precipitation outlooks for next month (a decent chance of above normal temperatures) and September through November (a strong chance of above normal temperatures):
Source: NOAA Northeast River Forecast Center
Drought worsened in Massachusetts in the week ending at 8 a.m. on Aug. 16, with 39.48 percent of the state now in an extreme drought and 94.49 percent in at least a severe drought. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Nearly all of Rhode Island was in an extreme drought as of 8 a.m. on Aug. 16, up from 33.63 percent a week earlier. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought worsened in Connecticut in the week ending at 8 a.m. on Aug. 16, with 13.01 percent in an extreme drought (vs. zero a week earlier) and 75.72 percent in at least a severe drought (vs. 31.74 percent a week earlier). Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought worsened in parts of New Hampshire in the week ending at 8 a.m. on Aug. 16. A quarter of the state was in a severe drought (up from 13.29 percent a week earlier) and 1.53 percent was in an extreme drought (up from zero a week earlier). Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought essentially remained the same in Maine in the week ending at 8 a.m. on Aug. 16, with 8.15 percent of the state in a severe drought and 27.79 percent in a moderate drought. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought worsened in parts of Vermont in the week ending at 8 a.m. on Aug. 16. About 18 percent of the state was in a moderate drought (up from 14.66 percent a week earlier) and 1.29 percent was in an severe drought (up from none a week earlier). Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Severe drought was expected to continue in the brown areas from Aug. 21 to 25, 2022, according to the U.S. Day 3–7 Hazards Outlook issued on Aug. 18. Source: Weather Prediction Center at the National Weather Service
Drought is expected to persist in much of New England and the Northeast through Nov. 30, 2022. Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center
Animation showing the progression of drought across the Northeast this year through August 9, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Source: National Drought Integration Information System
Departure from normal precipitation in inches for the Portland area in Maine (blue line), the Rochester area in New York (orange line), the Boston area in Massachusetts (black line) and the Providence area in Rhode Island (green line). Source: ACIS via National Drought Integration Information System
The flow at a gauge in the Yantic River in Connecticut was a record low 2.8 cubic feet/second for the date on August 9, 2022. Record-keeping began 91 years ago. Still, brook trout were seen in one of the deeper pools. Photo credit: Ron Horwood, National Weather Service Northeast River Forecast Center
Streamflow as of 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 18, 2022. The red dots mean low flow and the maroon dots mean much below normal flow (less than 10 percent of the norm). Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Streamflow as of 11:31 a.m. on Aug. 18, 2022. The red dots mean low flow and the maroon dots mean much below normal flow (less than 10 percent of the norm). Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Precipitation forecast from 8 a.m. (EDT) on Aug. 18 to 8 a.m. (EDT) on Aug. 25. Source: Weather Prediction Center at the National Weather Service
NH EnviroGuy blogger & photography enthusiast living near Newfound Lake in New Hampshire. Finalist, 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. Snowy ROC NY native.
