Introduction to the Northeast Drought Early Warning System

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for March – May 2018. Dated June 2018.   

On March 2, the first of several nor'easters brought significant snowfall. Up to 40 inches of snow fell in central and eastern New York, while up to 5 inches of rain was reported in southern New England and Long Island, which caused flooding. Strong winds associated with the storm downed trees and power lines; wind gusts greater than 90 mph were reported in Massachusetts.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for December 2017 – February 2018.  Dated March 2018.   

A storm from December 9 to 10 dropped up to 11 inches of snow on the region. While impacts were limited to flight delays and slick roads, it provided the first measurable snow and first inch of snow for more than a dozen major climate sites.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for September – November 2017.  Dated December 2017.  

During autumn, moderate drought conditions eased, but abnormal dryness lingered in some areas. The dry conditions mainly affected streamflow, groundwater, and some water supplies. See Impacts section for details.

Describes typical La Niña winter patterns, Madden-Julian Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation; give outlook for winter temperatures and precipitation. 

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for June – August 2017.  Dated September 2017. 

Summer precipitation was variable, with drought developing in Maine and extreme rain and flash flooding in other areas. During summer, the Northeast averages 28 tornadoes (based on NOAA's Storm Prediction Center data from 1989–2013). This summer, 38 tornadoes touched down in the region: 11 in Pennsylvania, 10 in New York, 7 in Maine, 4 in West Virginia, 3 in Maryland, 2 in New Jersey, and 1 in Delaware. 

The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC), and the American Association of State Climatologists (AASC), hosted three Northeast Drought and Climate Outlook Forums as record-breaking drought expanded in the Northeast in 2016-2017. Participants included stakeholders from around the region and across federal, state, local, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for March – May 2017.  Dated June 2017.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Northeast Region for December 2016 – February 2017.  Dated March 2017.

Drought conditions lingered, but generally improved during winter. For details, see Climate Overview and Impacts sections.

A nor’easter dropped several inches of sleet in Maine from January 24–26. The National Weather Service said, “It was likely one of the biggest sleet storms in northern Maine during the past 75 years.” Elsewhere, strong winds and rough seas led to coastal flooding and beach erosion.

Summarizes information and results of two Northeast drought forums held in winter 2017, the first in New York State on Feb. 27 and the second in Massachusetts on March 1. The meetings was designed to