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Regional Drought Update Date
October 7, 2022
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 drought updates as conditions evolve.

Surface drought conditions improve, but continuing to watch for recovery of groundwater and streamflow.

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

Key Points

  • Extreme Drought (D3) continued for Boston’s north shore communities.
  • Severe Drought (D2) persisted for parts of Long Island, southeastern New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and a small portion of southeast New Hampshire.
  • Moderate Drought (D1) and Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions remain in parts of all 7 Northeast DEWS states.
Current Conditions
U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions: Northeast | October 4, 2022
U.S. Drought Monitor

U.S. Drought Monitor Categories

Last Updated: 10/04/22
Main Stats
16.53%
of the Northeast is in drought (D1–D3)
16.16%
of the Northeast is experiencing Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions
3.51%
of Massachusetts is in Extreme Drought (D3)

Current Conditions

U.S. Drought Monitor 4-Week Change Map

Over the past 4 weeks, part of every state in the Northeast has experienced a one to two category drought category improvement.
U.S. Drought Monitor change map, showing where drought and dryness have improved or worsened from September 6–October 4, 2022. Source: National Drought Mitigation Center.

Accumulated Precipitation Departure from Normal

 
Precipitation deficits at locations across the Northeast have been reduced in recent weeks.
Departure from normal precipitation (inches) for Portland Area, ME (blue), Boston Area, MA (black), Worcester Area, MA (light green), Providence Area, RI (orange), Hartford Area, CT (purple), Bridgeport Area, CT (red), New York - Central Park Area (yellow), and Islip Area, NY (dark green). Source ACIS.
 

Monthly Average Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) Estimates (Inches)
Station Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Albany, NY 0.31 0.49 1.17 2.21 3.58 4.05 4.45 3.80 2.47 1.37 0.57 0.30
Allentown, PA 0.44 0.65 1.44 2.46 3.80 4.27 4.69 4.01 2.70 1.65 0.77 0.44
Atlantic City, NJ 0.55 0.77 1.53 2.47 3.83 4.34 4.77 4.13 2.84 1.81 0.90 0.55
Baltimore, MD 0.59 0.83 1.68 2.69 3.96 4.43 4.76 4.11 2.90 1.88 0.96 0.58
Bangor, ME 0.27 0.45 0.98 1.86 3.11 3.56 3.91 3.42 2.20 1.20 0.49 0.27
Beckley, WV 0.49 0.71 1.54 2.59 3.63 4.04 4.20 3.83 2.73 1.78 0.89 0.50
Binghamton, NY 0.26 0.42 1.00 1.93 3.23 3.63 4.00 3.41 2.13 1.22 0.48 0.25
Boston, MA 0.37 0.57 1.15 1.95 3.09 3.58 4.02 3.49 2.29 1.36 0.63 0.37
Bridgeport, CT 0.44 0.63 1.31 2.21 3.41 3.90 4.38 3.76 2.52 1.54 0.74 0.44
Buffalo, NY 0.24 0.40 0.99 1.92 3.26 3.74 4.05 3.43 2.23 1.18 0.47 0.24
Burlington, VT 0.24 0.42 0.97 1.96 3.26 3.74 4.13 3.47 2.18 1.13 0.45 0.23
Caribou, ME 0.17 0.30 0.73 1.51 2.88 3.39 3.64 3.07 1.84 0.89 0.31 0.16
Charleston, WV 0.56 0.84 1.79 2.95 4.07 4.52 4.67 4.22 3.08 2.02 1.01 0.57
Cleveland, OH 0.29 0.48 1.16 2.19 3.54 4.10 4.48 3.73 2.50 1.39 0.58 0.29
Concord, NH 0.33 0.53 1.17 2.20 3.46 3.97 4.42 3.84 2.48 1.42 0.63 0.35
Elkins, WV 0.48 0.71 1.54 2.58 3.68 4.12 4.37 3.95 2.78 1.80 0.88 0.49
Erie, PA 0.26 0.43 1.05 2.05 3.45 4.03 4.39 3.65 2.36 1.27 0.51 0.25
Hartford, CT 0.41 0.61 1.34 2.32 3.57 4.03 4.50 3.86 2.60 1.53 0.71 0.41
Huntington, WV 0.55 0.82 1.79 2.97 4.12 4.57 4.78 4.28 3.11 1.99 0.97 0.55
New York (LaGuardia), NY 0.45 0.66 1.38 2.32 3.58 4.02 4.41 3.78 2.59 1.59 0.75 0.45
Newark, NJ 0.47 0.69 1.45 2.40 3.63 4.06 4.46 3.80 2.64 1.63 0.78 0.46
Philadelphia, PA 0.51 0.73 1.53 2.54 3.85 4.29 4.67 4.06 2.81 1.76 0.86 0.51
Pittsburgh, PA 0.35 0.55 1.32 2.36 3.55 4.03 4.36 3.79 2.61 1.54 0.67 0.35
Portland, ME 0.33 0.52 1.08 1.91 3.09 3.61 4.08 3.54 2.30 1.29 0.58 0.34
Providence, RI 0.42 0.62 1.29 2.14 3.32 3.72 4.15 3.53 2.45 1.49 0.71 0.42
Rochester, NY 0.27 0.43 1.04 2.01 3.42 3.88 4.22 3.56 2.27 1.23 0.50 0.26
Scranton, W-B, PA 0.37 0.58 1.31 2.32 3.65 4.10 4.48 3.80 2.49 1.50 0.67 0.37
Syracuse, NY 0.27 0.43 1.06 2.11 3.52 3.96 4.31 3.64 2.33 1.29 0.51 0.26
Washington, DC 0.61 0.86 1.70 2.73 3.91 4.36 4.66 4.07 2.90 1.89 0.98 0.61
Williamsport, PA 0.38 0.60 1.39 2.42 3.76 4.22 4.54 3.86 2.48 1.53 0.68 0.38
Wilmington, DE 0.52 0.74 1.54 2.55 3.90 4.37 4.77 4.13 2.83 1.77 0.86 0.52
Worcester, MA 0.33 0.51 1.12 2.03 3.20 3.59 4.03 3.49 2.27 1.31 0.59 0.33

Estimates (in inches) of average monthly potential evapotranspiration (PET) for a grass-covered surfaces for sites throughout the Northeast. Average values are based on the period 1981–2010. Source: Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Regional 2-Inch Soil Temperature (°F): October 5, 2022

2-inch soil temperatures are at or below 53 degrees F in most of the Northeast. Temperatures above 55 degrees are observed in coastal Massachusetts.
Two-inch soil temperature (°F) for October 5, 2022. Source: ACIS.

State-Reported Impacts

Connecticut 

Maine

Massachusetts

On October 4, a streamgage on the Herring River in Cape Cod recorded one of its lowest ever streamflows.
Streamflow of 1.1 cubic feet per second was measured on October 4, 2022 at Herring River at North Harwich, MA (USGS gaging station 01105880) on Cape Cod. The streamflow measurement is one of the lowest ever made in the history of this streamgage. This stream remains low due to below normal groundwater levels in this area of Cape Cod. Source: USGS.
USGS observation well DGW-158 on Cape Code was at record low groundwater levels on September 28.
A September 28, 2022 groundwater level measurement at USGS observation well DGW-158 in Dennis, MA on Cape Cod was its lowest recorded level (20.4 ft below land surface) since measurements started in 1975. Groundwater level measurement courtesy of the Cape Cod Commission. This observation well is about 2.4 miles west of the USGS streamgage Herring River at North Harwich, MA (01105880) pictured above during recent low flow conditions. 

New York

Rhode Island

Outlooks

  • According to the Climate Prediction Center's 8–14 day outlook (valid October 13–19, 2022), odds favor below-normal temperatures in western New York and near-normal temperatures in the rest of the Northeast. Near-normal precipitation is favored across the region.
  • The week 3–4 outlook (valid October 15–28, 2022) favors above-normal temperatures for Maine and northern Vermont and New Hampshire, with equal chances of above- or below-normal conditions elsewhere. There is a greater likelihood of below-normal precipitation for all of New York, as well as eastern Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The rest of the Northeast has equal chances of above- or below-normal precipitation.

8–14 Day Temperature Outlook

From October 13 to 19, odds favor below-normal temperatures in western New York and near-normal temperatures in the rest of the region.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center 8–14 day temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from October 13–19, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

8–14 Day Precipitation Outlook

From October 13 to 19, odds favor near-normal precipitation across the Northeast.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center 8–14 day precipitation outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal, below-normal, or normal conditions from October 13–19. Source: Climate Prediction Center via the Northeast DEWS Dashboard.

Temperature Outlook Week 3–4

From October 15–28, 2022, odds favor above-normal temperatures for Maine and northern Vermont and New Hampshire, with equal chances elsewhere.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center week 3–4 temperature outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal or below-normal conditions from October 15–28, 2022. Issued September 30, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction Center.

Precipitation Outlook Week 3–4

From October 15–28, 2022, odds favor below-normal precipitation in New York, as well as eastern portions of Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
NOAA Climate Prediction Center week 3–4 precipitation outlook for the Northeast, showing the probability of above-normal or below-normal conditions from October 15–28, 2022. Issued September 30, 2022. Source: Climate Prediction 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
Northeast Regional Climate Center

Ellen Mecray
Regional Climate Services Director, Eastern Region, NOAA

David Hollinger
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 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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