Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions persist in some areas of the Northeast, but improvements continue.
For more details, see the Northeast Drought Early Warning System Dashboard.
Key Points
- Severe Drought (D2) remains in a small area of southeastern New Hampshire.
- Abnormally Dry (D0) to Moderate Drought (D1) conditions continue in some areas of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.
- Improvements were seen in central and eastern Massachusetts, Connecticut, and in all of Rhode Island.
- Groundwater recovery is evident in many areas of New England, but has not occurred in many areas of New Hampshire and New York.
U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions: Northeast |
U.S. Drought Monitor map of the Northeast. Valid December 15, 2020. Published December 17, 2020.
State-Reported Impacts
State drought committees and task forces have adjourned until the new year or spring 2021. Most will continue to monitor conditions, particularly groundwater recharge.
Awareness, preparedness, and water conservation should still be practiced.
USGS Groundwater Watch
Additional Resources
- Northeast DEWS Dashboard
- NOAA Regional Climate Services
- Your local National Weather Service office
- NOAA Regional Climate Services Monthly Webinar Series (January 28 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
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.
