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Regional Drought Update Date
March 25, 2022
Site Section
Drought Status Update

Drought Status Update for the Northeast


DEWS Regions:
Update Status:

NIDIS and its partners will issue future drought updates as conditions evolve.

Recent precipitation and improving streamflow/groundwater levels have led to small improvements, but areas with long-term drought and dryness remain in northern New England.

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

Key Points

  • Severe (D2) and Moderate (D1) drought conditions continued in northwestern Maine.
  • Abnormally dry conditions (D0) continued for northern New Hampshire, Vermont, and parts of Maine.
  • Abnormally dry conditions (D0) expanded during the last week for southeastern New York.
  • As Spring brings warmer temperatures and surface drying, seasonal burn bans go into effect.
Current Conditions
U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions: Northeast | March 22, 2022

U.S. Drought Monitor Categories
Value Map Hex Color
D0 - Abnormally Dry #ffff00
D1 - Moderate Drought #ffcc99
D2 - Severe Drought #f5ad3d
D3 - Extreme Drought #ff0000
D4 - Exceptional Drought #660000

Main Stats
1.2%
of the Northeast is in Severe Drought (D2)
0.9%
of the Northeast is in Moderate Drought (D1)
20.4%
of the Northeast is Abnormally Dry (D0)

Current Conditions

U.S. Drought Monitor 1-Week Change Map

1-week U.S. Drought Monitor change map, showing where drought has improved or worsened from March 15 to March 22, 2022.
U.S. Drought Monitor change map, showing where drought and dryness have improved or worsened from March 15–22, 2022. Source: National Drought Mitigation Center.

Accumulated Precipitation Departure from Normal

Accumulated precipitation departures from normal from October 2021 through mid-March 2022 for three locations in the Northeast: Rangeley, ME (blue), Saint Johnsbury Asos, VT (black), and New York - Central Park Area, NY (green).
Departure from normal precipitation (inches) for Rangeley, ME (blue), Saint Johnsbury, VT (black), and New York - Central Park Area, NY (green). Source: ACIS.

Snow Water Equivalent (Inches)

New York and New England Snow Survey Map, showing snow water equivalent (inches) across the region for March 13-16, 2022.
Snow water equivalent (in inches) for March 13–16, 2022, as measured at survey sites around New York and New England. Source: Northeast Regional Climate Center.

State-Reported Impacts

New York

Brush Burn Ban: From March 16–May 14, New York's annual statewide ban prohibiting brush burning is in effect. Since 2009, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has enforced the ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires each spring. Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed. Small cooking fires are allowed, but only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, or unpainted wood can be burned. People should never leave these or any fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round.

For more information about fire safety and prevention, go to DEC's FIREWISE New York web page.

Maine

Read about the Maine River Flow Advisory Commission meeting via the Portland Press Herald.

Outlooks

  • The 8–14 day outlook (valid March 31–April 6) favors above-normal precipitation for New York, western and central Vermont, and western Massachusetts and Connecticut, with near-normal conditions elsewhere. Odds favor near-normal temperatures in most of the Northeast DEWS, except western and central New York, where there is a greater likelihood for below-normal conditions.
  • The week 3–4 outlook (valid April 2–15) favors above-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures across the Northeast.

8–14 Day Temperature Outlook

Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above, below, or near normal conditions from March 31-April 6, 2022.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center 8–14 day temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from March 31–April 6, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

8–14 Day Precipitation Outlook

Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day precipitation outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above, below, or near normal conditions from March 31–April 6, 2022.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center 8–14 day precipitation outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from March 31–April 6, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

Temperature Outlook Week 3–4

Climate Prediction Center week 3-4 temperature outlook for the U.S., from April 7-15, 2022. Odds favor above-normal temperatures in the Northeast.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center week 3–4 temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal or below-normal conditions from April 2–15, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction Center.

Precipitation Outlook Week 3–4

Climate Prediction Center week 3-4 precipitation outlook for the U.S., from April 2–15, 2022 Odds favor above-normal conditions across the Northeast.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center week 3–4 precipitation outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal or below-normal conditions from April 2–15, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction Center.

Additional Resources

New Additions to the Northeast DEWS Dashboard and NRCC Website

Other Regional 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
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.