"Drought improvement and a cautiously positive outlook with close monitoring needed!" -New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
For more details, see the Northeast Drought Early Warning System Dashboard.
- Extreme Drought (D3) was removed from southern Maine.
- Extreme Drought (D3) contracted slightly in New Hampshire but still lingers.
- Severe drought (D2) eased in southern New England.
- There was improvement from Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormal Dryness (D0) in part of every state.
- More than half of the Northeast DEWS region is still experiencing Abnormally Dry (D0) to Severe Drought (D2).
U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions: Northeast |
U.S. Drought Monitor map of the Northeast. Valid December 1, 2020.
State Reported Impacts
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Geological Survey performed a mid-month measurement of the 12 wells in its monitoring network that are located in the section of the state experiencing “extreme drought” (D3). Comparison of measurements from the end of October to mid-November indicated that while well levels remained below normal, levels had not further deteriorated and had risen in a few instances. For more information, see the New Hampshire Groundwater Level Monitoring Report for October 2020. (NH DES)
Outlooks
- The 8-14 day maps indicate above-normal temperatures for the Northeast except for a few areas in northern Maine, Vermont, and New York, where normal temperatures are predicted. Above-normal precipitation is predicted for all of the Northeast except a few small pockets in northeastern Maine, where normal precipitation is predicted.
- The 3-4 week outlook favors above-normal temperatures for the Northeast and above-normal precipitation for the region except western New York, where equal chances for above- or below-normal precipitation is favored.
Temperature Outlook 8-14 Day
Precipitation Outlook 8-14 Day
Temperature Outlook Week 3-4
Precipitation Outlook Week 3-4
Current CPC Outlooks: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
Additional Resources
- Northeast DEWS Dashboard
- NOAA Regional Climate Services
- Your local National Weather Service office
- NOAA Regional Climate Services Monthly Webinar Series (December 17 next webinar)
- 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.
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.
