Keep watch on winter precipitation and lingering dryness.
For more details, see the Northeast Drought Early Warning System Dashboard.
Key Points
- Moderate Drought (D1) expanded somewhat in northeastern Vermont and persisted in portions of northern New York.
- Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions held for small portions of coastal and northwestern Maine, portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York.
- Moderate Drought (D1) has not persisted through the month of January since 2017.
- States are closely monitoring winter season precipitation and groundwater.
Current U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for the Northeast Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) with data valid for January 26, 2021. The USDM is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. Drought categories show experts’ assessments of conditions related to dryness and drought including observations of how much water is available in streams, lakes, and soils compared to usual for the same time of year. Learn more.
According to the latest USDM:
- Moderate Drought (D1) conditions exist in 8.2% of the region.
- Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions exist in 23.7% of the region.
U.S. Drought Monitor Categories
Current U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map for the Northeast Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) with data valid for January 26, 2021. The USDM is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. Drought categories show experts’ assessments of conditions related to dryness and drought including observations of how much water is available in streams, lakes, and soils compared to usual for the same time of year. Learn more.
According to the latest USDM:
- Moderate Drought (D1) conditions exist in 8.2% of the region.
- Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions exist in 23.7% of the region.
2020 Drought in Review
The U.S. Geological Survey's New England Water Science Center released a report on the 2020 drought.
Snowfall Departure
Additional Resources
- Northeast DEWS Dashboard
- NOAA Regional Climate Services
- Your local National Weather Service office
- NOAA Regional Climate Services Monthly Webinar Series (February 25 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.
