Massachusetts Drought Periods

Periods of 2 or More Months of Severe or Extreme Drought

-- Western Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
11/1899 - 12/1899 2 months -3.27 in 12/1899
11/1908 - 1/1909 3 months -4.17 in 12/1908
7/1910 - 9/1911 15 months -4.82 in 5/1911
8/1913 - 9/1913 2 months -3.29 in 8/1913
4/1915 - 6/1915 3 months -3.48 in 6/1915
8/1930 - 5/1931 10 months -4.17 in 4/1931
4/1941 - 6/1941 3 months -3.35 in 4/1941
10/1957 - 11/1957 2 months -3.19 in 10/1957
6/1962 - 9/1962 4 months -3.54 in 7/1962
7/1963 - 12/1963 6 months -4.08 in 10/1963
5/1964 - 9/1966 29 months -5.84 in 11/1964
4/1985 - 5/1985 2 months -3.32 in 4/1985

-- Central Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
11/1899 - 1/1900 3 months -3.69 in 12/1899
11/1908 - 1/1909 3 months -3.38 in 12/1908
11/1909 - 12/1909 2 months -3.24 in 11/1909
3/1910 - 9/1911 19 months -5.36 in 5/1911
9/1912 - 3/1913 7 months -3.72 in 11/1912
6/1913 - 9/1913 4 months -3.75 in 8/1913
9/1914 - 1/1915 5 months -4.40 in 11/1914
3/1915 - 6/1915 4 months -4.69 in 6/1915
5/1918 - 8/1918 4 months -3.49 in 8/1918
8/1923 - 9/1923 2 months -3.70 in 9/1923
10/1924 - 6/1925 9 months -4.08 in 2/1925
8/1925 - 9/1925 2 months -3.33 in 8/1925
4/1927 - 6/1927 3 months -3.27 in 4/1927
1/1930 - 2/1931 14 months -4.33 in 9/1930
4/1941 - 6/1941 3 months -3.23 in 6/1941
8/1941 - 2/1942 7 months -4.46 in 11/1941
4/1942 - 5/1942 2 months -3.10 in 5/1942
7/1949 - 1/1950 7 months -4.02 in 12/1949
7/1957 - 11/1957 5 months -4.55 in 10/1957
8/1964 - 10/1966 27 months -4.96 in 12/1965
1/1967 - 2/1967 2 months -3.32 in 2/1967

-- Coastal Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
2/1901 - 3/1901 2 months -3.45 in 2/1901
4/1905 - 5/1905 2 months -3.49 in 5/1905
4/1910 - 5/1910 2 months -3.42 in 5/1910
9/1910 - 7/1911 11 months -3.74 in 6/1911
9/1912 - 9/1913 13 months -4.11 in 8/1913
9/1914 - 12/1914 4 months -3.95 in 11/1914
3/1915 - 7/1915 5 months -4.02 in 4/1915
11/1918 - 1/1919 3 months -3.16 in 12/1918
3/1919 - 4/1919 2 months -3.36 in 4/1919
3/1921 - 4/1921 2 months -3.36 in 3/1921
10/1924 - 11/1925 14 months -5.13 in 2/1925
4/1927 - 5/1927 2 months -3.40 in 5/1927
2/1930 - 2/1931 13 months -4.72 in 9/1930
7/1944 - 10/1944 4 months -3.98 in 8/1944
10/1949 - 12/1950 15 months -4.05 in 12/1949
11/1952 - 12/1952 2 months -3.10 in 12/1952
9/1957 - 11/1957 3 months -3.82 in 10/1957
5/1965 - 10/1966 18 months -5.16 in 12/1965

Based on the monthly Palmer Drought Severity Index as computed by the National Climatic Data Center.
Period of record: January 1895 through March 2006