Drought is one of the costliest and deadliest climate-related disasters in the United States, necessitating public health engagement at a national level. Although drought is not typically thought of as a health hazard, the pathways to human health outcomes are prevalent and numerous. To better understand these pathways, and actions that could be taken to reduce health impacts associated with drought, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) supported the first comprehensive assessment of drought and health.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Mid-Atlantic Region for December 2022–February 2023. Dated March 2023.

Most areas experienced temperatures 4–6 degrees F above normal. The southern half of the region received less than 25 percent of normal winter season snowfall, with several sites hitting records for the least snowy winter on record.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Gulf of Maine Region for December 2022–February 2023. Dated March 2023.

Winter (averaged over December, January, and February) was up to 4°C (7°F) warmer than normal, with multiple sites having one of their five-warmest winters on record. Winter precipitation (accumulated from December to February) ranged from near normal to 150% of normal.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for December 2022–February 2023. Dated March 2023.

The Northeast had its second-warmest winter at 4.9°F above normal. It was among the five warmest for all 12 states, with Massachusetts being record warm. The Northeast saw 107% of normal winter precipitation, in the middle third of all years.