Drought Early Warning Update for the Northeast

Above-normal temperatures overcome spotty precipitation in most of the region.

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

Key Points

Moderate drought (D1) expanded in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Abnormally dry conditions (D0) now extend across the northern portions of the region from western New York to central Maine.
Flooding in DownEast Maine on the 9th of June precedes the expansion of moderate drought (D1) in western Maine on the 10th.
Above-normal temperatures translated into evapotranspiration rates that mute the effects of recent rains.

U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions: Northeast | June 8, 2021

U.S. Drought Monitor

Current U.S. Drought Monitor map for the Northeast Drought Early Warning System with data valid for June 8, 2021. The U.S. Drought Monitor is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country.

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor:

Moderate drought (D1) conditions exist in 16.6% of the region.
Abnormally dry (D0) conditions exist in 36.8% of the region.

Source(s): NDMC, NOAA, USDA

U.S. Drought Monitor Categories

Last Updated: 06/08/21

36.8%

of the Northeast is experiencing abnormally dry conditions (D0)

16.6%

of the Northeast is experiencing moderate drought (D1)

Current Conditions

7-Day Average Streamflows

Streamflows are below average across much of Maine and northern New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.

7-day average streamflow conditions for the Northeast U.S. as of June 11, 2021. — 7-day average streamflow conditions across the Northeast. Source: USGS Water Watch via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

Annual Precipitation Departure from Normal

Graph showing the year-to-date accumulated precipitation departure from normal for Portland Area, ME, Burlington Area, VT, and Concord Area, NH — Year-to-date departure from normal precipitation for the Portland Area, ME (*blue*), Concord Area, NH (*black*), and Burlington Area, VT (*green*). Source: ACIS.

State-Reported Impacts

New Hampshire

Seacoast water managers reach out to consumers.

Maine

The Maine Emergency Management Agency will begin a 2021 Dry Well Survey starting June 17 to document needs for dry well assistance across the state. Homeowners with dry wells are encouraged to notify their County EMA office for their situational awareness until that date.
Additional information is available from the Maine Drought Task Force.

Massachusetts

Dry county: Drought conditions lead Cape Cod towns to adopt watering restrictions, Cape Cod Times, May 25.
Mandatory water restrictions were in effect for Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, Chatham, and Dennis.

Sign Up for U.S. Drought Monitor Alert Emails:

Outlooks

The 8-14 day maps indicate below-normal temperatures from eastern New York and Pennsylvania through Maine. For the most part, the rest of the region has equal chances of above-, below- and near-normal temperatures. Above-, below-, and near-normal precipitation are equally likely for the Northeast.
The 3-4 week outlook favors above-normal temperatures in the Northeast. Odds favor above-normal precipitation for all areas of the Northeast west of central New York, with equal chances for the rest of the region.

Temperature Outlook 8-14 Day

Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day temperature outlook for the U.S., from June 18-24, 2021. — NOAA Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from June 18-24, 2021. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

Precipitation Outlook 8-14 Day

Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day precipitation outlook for the U.S., from June 18-24, 2021. — NOAA Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from June 18-24, 2021. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

Temperature Outlook Week 3-4

Week 3-4 temperature outlook for June 19 - July 2, 2021. Odds favor above-normal temperatures across the Northeast. — NOAA Climate Prediction Center week 3-4 temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from June 19-July 2, 2021. Source: Climate Prediction Center.

Precipitation Outlook Week 3-4

Climate Prediction Center week 3-4 precipitation outlook for the U.S., from June 19-July 2, 2021. — NOAA Climate Prediction Center week 3-4 precipitation outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from June 19-July 2, 2021. Source: Climate Prediction Center.

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 on June 29)
USDA Northeast Climate Hub
USGS New England and New York Water Science Centers

Contacts for More Information

Sylvia Reeves
Regional Drought Information Coordinator (Northeast DEWS)
NOAA/CIRES/National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)
Email: sylvia.reeves@noaa.gov

Ellen L. Mecray
Regional Climate Services Director, Eastern Region
NOAA/NESDIS/National Centers for Environmental Information
Email: Ellen.L.Mecray@noaa.gov

Prepared By

Sylvia Reeves
NOAA/National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

Samantha Borisoff, Jessica Spaccio, Keith Eggleston, Art DeGaetano
Northeast Regional Climate Center

Ellen Mecray
Regional Climate Services Director, Eastern Region, NOAA

David Hollinger and Maria Janowiak
USDA Climate Hubs

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.

Special Thanks

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.