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Regional Drought Update Date
April 28, 2023
Site Section
Drought Status Update

Drought Status Update for the Northeast

DEWS Regions:
Northeast
States:
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Update Status:

NIDIS and its partners will issue future Northeast Drought Status Updates as conditions evolve.

Patchy Moderate Drought (D1) Returns to Southern New England and Southeastern New York

 

Key Points:

  • Since the last Drought Status Update, moderate drought (D1) developed across southern portions of New York and Connecticut. Precipitation the following week helped alleviate drought in some of these areas, but D1 still remains in small areas of New York and Connecticut. D1 also developed in southern Rhode Island
  • Widespread precipitation this weekend should stave off additional degradations. Local conditions should continue to be monitored.
  • Abnormally Dry conditions (D0) still extend from the southeast corner of New Hampshire through southern New England. 
  • These local areas of abnormal dryness and drought are part of a broader area that extends into the Mid-Atlantic states where spring wildfire activity has been brisk (New Jersey). 
  • Seasonal snowfall totals continue to be below normal across the majority of the region. While less snowy winters can reduce the risk of spring flooding, they have, at times, also been a precursor of summer and fall droughts in the region.
Current Conditions
U.S. Drought Monitor | Northeast
Northeast DEWS

U.S. Drought Monitor Categories

Data valid: 04/25/23

Current Conditions

Animation: U.S. Drought Monitor Change from February 28–April 25

Throughout March 2023, the Northeast was drought-free, but abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate (D1) drought began to spread in April.
Animation showing the progression of abnormal dryness (D0) and drought from February 28–April 25, 2023, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Source: Drought.gov Historical Conditions Tool.

Accumulated Precipitation Departure from Normal

For Water Year 2023, Bridgeport, Boston, Islip, and the New York Central Park area have precipitation deficits.
Water year departure from normal precipitation (inches) for Portland Area, ME (blue), Boston Area, MA (black), Providence Area, RI (green), Bridgeport Area, CT (orange), New York Central Park Area, NY (purple), and Islip Area, NY (red). Source: ACIS.

Water Year 2023 Snowfall Departure (Inches)

From the start of the water year (October 1, 2022), snowfall is near or below normal across much of the Northeast, except for small parts of New York and New Hampshire.
Snowfall departure from normal (in inches) since the start of the water year (October 1, 2022–April 26, 2023).  Access New York and New England Snow Survey data. Source: Northeast Regional Climate Center. 

Accumulated Snowfall Departure from Normal

Seasonal snowfall totals continue to be below normal across the majority of the region.
Departure from normal snowfall (inches) for Portland Area, ME (blue), Boston Area, MA (black), Providence Area, RI (green), Bridgeport Area, CT (orange), New York Central Park Area, NY (purple), and Syracuse Area, NY (red). Source: ACIS.

State-Reported Conditions and Impacts

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New York

Rhode Island

Vermont

Northeast

Volunteers are needed to measure precipitation! CoCoRaHS (the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network) is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteer weather observers of all ages and backgrounds who measure and report precipitation. These data help improve the accuracy of weather forecasts, contribute to real-time drought and flood monitoring, are used in research applications, and so much more. Ready to help? Go to www.cocorahs.org and click the “Join CoCoRaHS” button in the upper right corner. 

Find additional impacts through the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Drought Impact Reporter. 

Visit the new Drought.gov state pages for additional maps and resources. Or, find local drought information by address, city or zip code on Drought.gov. 

Outlooks

8–14 Day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks

For May 4–10, below-normal temperatures will be helpful in terms of holding off evapotranspiration across the region for the next two weeks. Expected near-normal precipitation across the region may pause the drying trend for the next two weeks.

From May 4 to 10, odds favor below-normal temperatures across most of the Northeast.
8–14 day temperature outlook, showing the probability (percent chance) of above-, below-, or near-normal temperatures across the Northeast from May 4–10, 2023. Odds favor below-normal temperatures across most of the Northeast. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.
From May 4 to 10, there are equal chances of above- or below-normal precipitation across most of the region.
8–14 day precipitation outlook, showing the probability (percent chance) of above-, below-, or near-normal temperatures across the Northeast from May 4–10, 2023. There are equal chances of above- or below-normal precipitation across most of the region. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

Week 3–4 Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks

Outlooks for May 6–19 show increased chances for above-normal temperatures for Maine, Rhode Island, eastern New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The rest of the region has equal chances for seasonal temperatures and this will be helpful with limiting drought potential for most of Connecticut and New York.

There are equal chances for below-normal or above-normal precipitation, across the region, during this period. Adequate precipitation for the start of the growing season is in question.

From May 6-19, odds favor above-normal temperatures across the region.
Week 3–4 temperature outlook, showing the probability (percent chance) of above- or below-normal temperatures across the U.S. from May 6–19. Issued April 21, 2023. Source: Climate Prediction Center.
From April 1–14, odds favor above-normal precipitation for Connecticut, Rhode Island, most of Massachusetts, and southern New York/Long Island. Elsewhere, there are equal chances of above- or below-normal conditions.
Week 3–4 precipitation outlook, showing the probability (percent chance) of above- or below-normal precipitation across the U.S. from May 6–19. Issued April 21, 2023. Source: Climate Prediction Center.

U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook: April 20–July 31, 2023

The seasonal drought outlook is encouraging for the Northeast DEWS, with indications for improvements in the areas that are dry this week. This outlook runs through the end of July, when we begin to experience our warmest temperatures and drought concerns typically return with increased water demands. Combined with the awareness that we have just experienced winter season snowfall deficits in central New York and southern New England, the next seasonal outlook updates should be watched closely.

Areas of drought in the Northeast are projected to be removed over the next three months.
Seasonal (3-month) drought outlook, showing where drought is predicted to persist, improve, be removed, or develop from April 20–July 31, 2023. Areas of drought in the Northeast are expected to be removed. Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center, via Drought.gov. 

Special Announcement

NIDIS Launches Improved and Expanded State Pages

Just in time to monitor changing conditions in the spring and summer months, the U.S. Drought Portal now offers new and improved state pages. The NIDIS team wishes to thank all those who have assisted with the updated content and provided additional suggestions for improvements and new datasets.  

Please check out your new state pages and share your feedback for further enhancements:

What We Are Watching

Spring green-up and below-normal streamflows are present in Wissahickon Creek, near Philadelphia.
Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 22, 2023. This photo is an example of spring green-up and below-normal streamflow from just south of the Northeast DEWS. Photo credit: Natalie Umphlett, Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Featured Resources

Additional Resources

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), CIRES

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

Ellen Mecray
Regional Climate Services Director, Eastern Region, NOAA

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 status 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 status updates as conditions evolve.

Partner(s)
NOAA emblem

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Northeast Regional Climate Center logo

Northeast Regional Climate Center

U.S. Department of Agriculture logo

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

U.S. Geological Survey logo.

U.S. Geological Survey

American Association of State Climatologists

American Association of State Climatologists

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