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0

primary counties with USDA Drought Disaster Designations, according to the USDA Farm Service Agency

~934,600

Rhode Island residents in areas of drought, according to the Drought Monitor

Increase of
643.1%
since last week
26th

driest September on record (since 1895)

1.99 in.
total precipitation
Decrease of
1.62 in.
from normal
2nd

wettest January—September on record (since 1895)

46.26 in.
total precipitation
Increase of
12.93 in.
from normal
Current Rhode Island Drought Maps

Drought & Dryness Categories
% of RI
11.7
88.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
88.3
Drought Change Since Last Week
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions

Experimental
Experimental

Drought in the Northeast

Known best for its autumn foliage, thick forests, rocky soils, and abundant freshwater resources, the northeastern United States is characterized by a diverse climate that is not often associated with drought. However, in 2000, 2016, 2020, and 2022, New York and New England experienced historic drought conditions not seen since the 1960s.

The Northeast also frequently experiences “flash” droughts—the rapid onset of intense dry periods that can follow a period of normal to above-normal precipitation. While these flash droughts may last only 2–6 months, they can have profound impacts in the region, resulting in agricultural losses, shortages in public water supplies, and very low streamflows.

NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) launched the Northeast Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) to improve drought early warning capacity and build long-term drought resilience throughout New England and New York. The Northeast DEWS is a network of regional and national partners that share information and coordinate actions to help communities in the region cope with drought.

Reach out to Sylvia Reeves, the Regional Drought Coordinator for this region, for more information, or sign up for the Northeast DEWS newsletter.

Rhode Island State Drought Resources

Rhode Island Current Conditions

A number of physical indicators are important for monitoring drought, such as precipitation & temperature, water supply (e.g., streamflow, reservoirs), and soil moisture. Learn more about monitoring drought.

Rhode Island Precipitation Conditions

Inches of Precipitation
Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)
100%
Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)
100%

Rhode Island Temperature Conditions

Maximum Temperature (°F)
60
Departure from Normal Max Temperature (°F)
0
Departure from Normal Max Temperature (°F)
0

Rhode Island Streamflow Conditions

Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions

Rhode Island Soil Moisture Conditions

0–100 cm Soil Moisture Percentile
70
100
Soil Moisture Anomaly
0%

Outlooks & Forecasts for Rhode Island

Predicting drought in Rhode Island depends on the ability to forecast precipitation and temperature within the context of complex climate interactions. View more outlooks & forecasts.

Future Precipitation & Temperature Conditions

Predicted Inches of Precipitation
1.75
Probability of Below-Normal Precipitation
100%
Probability of Above-Normal Precipitation
100%
Probability of Below-Normal Temperatures
100%
Probability of Above-Normal Temperatures
100%

Drought Outlooks for Rhode Island

Drought Is Predicted To...
Drought Is Predicted To...

Historical Drought Conditions in Rhode Island

Drought is a normal climate pattern that has occurred in varying degrees of length, severity, and size throughout history. Below, you can look back at past drought conditions for Rhode Island according to 3 historical drought indices. The U.S. Drought Monitor is a weekly map that shows the location and intensity of drought across the country since 2000. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is a monthly depiction of drought based on precipitation (with data going back to 1895). And the paleoclimate data uses tree-ring reconstructions to estimate drought conditions before we had widespread instrumental records, going back to the year 0 for some parts of the U.S. View more historical conditions.

U.S. Drought Monitor

The U.S. Drought Monitor (2000–present) depicts the location and intensity of drought across the country. Every Thursday, authors from NOAA, USDA, and the National Drought Mitigation Center produce a new map based on their assessments of the best available data and input from local observers. The map uses five categories: Abnormally Dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought (D1–D4). Learn more.

Drought Resources for Rhode Island

Stay Informed: Local Drought Updates

Drought Alert Emails
Get email updates when U.S. Drought Monitor conditions change for your location or a new drought outlook is released.

Northeast Drought Status Updates
NIDIS & its partners issue regional updates covering drought conditions, outlooks/forecasts, and local impacts.

Northeast Drought Email List
Get regional drought status updates right to your inbox, as well as drought news, webinars, and other events for the Northeast.

NOAA Eastern Region Climate Services Webinars
The Northeast Regional Climate Center hosts a monthly webinar with NOAA affiliates to address timely weather and climate concerns.

Get Involved: Submit Local Drought Impacts

Drought in your area? Tell us how drought is impacting your community by submitting a condition monitoring report. Your submissions help us better understand how drought is affecting local conditions.