Maryland Drought Periods

Periods of 2 or More Months of Severe or Extreme Drought

-- Southeastern Shore Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
9/1930 - 2/1931 6 months -5.05 in 2/1931
11/1941 - 2/1942 4 months -4.01 in 2/1942
4/1942 - 7/1942 4 months -3.56 in 5/1942
12/1965 - 4/1966 5 months -3.72 in 3/1966
8/1966 - 7/1967 12 months -4.31 in 1/1967
5/1986 - 12/1986 8 months -4.25 in 7/1986
11/1987 - 12/1987 2 months -3.12 in 12/1987
8/1995 - 9/1995 2 months -3.62 in 9/1995
11/1998 - 2/1999 4 months -3.94 in 12/1998
6/1999 - 8/1999 3 months -3.41 in 7/1999
1/2002 - 3/2002 3 months -3.84 in 2/2002
7/2002 - 8/2002 2 months -3.80 in 8/2002

-- Central Eastern Shore Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
8/1930 - 2/1931 7 months -5.43 in 2/1931
8/1943 - 9/1943 2 months -3.55 in 9/1943
1/1950 - 2/1950 2 months -3.52 in 1/1950
10/1954 - 2/1955 5 months -3.81 in 1/1955
12/1965 - 1/1966 2 months -3.61 in 12/1965
7/1976 - 9/1976 3 months -3.46 in 8/1976
3/1977 - 8/1977 6 months -3.57 in 8/1977
4/1985 - 5/1985 2 months -3.61 in 4/1985
5/1986 - 11/1986 7 months -4.60 in 9/1986
7/1987 - 1/1988 7 months -4.48 in 10/1987
6/1988 - 10/1988 5 months -3.69 in 9/1988
12/1988 - 1/1989 2 months -3.15 in 1/1989
11/1991 - 2/1992 4 months -3.61 in 1/1992
11/1998 - 12/1998 2 months -3.61 in 12/1998
5/1999 - 8/1999 4 months -3.47 in 6/1999
1/2002 - 9/2002 9 months -5.21 in 8/2002

-- Lower Southern Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
7/1930 - 2/1931 8 months -6.09 in 2/1931
11/1941 - 2/1942 4 months -3.71 in 12/1941
4/1942 - 5/1942 2 months -3.72 in 5/1942
7/1954 - 3/1955 9 months -4.36 in 1/1955
11/1965 - 8/1966 10 months -4.49 in 8/1966
6/1986 - 7/1986 2 months -3.55 in 7/1986
9/1986 - 10/1986 2 months -3.36 in 10/1986
7/1991 - 2/1992 8 months -3.99 in 11/1991
10/1998 - 2/1999 5 months -4.60 in 12/1998
5/1999 - 7/1999 3 months -4.23 in 7/1999
7/2002 - 9/2002 3 months -4.25 in 9/2002

-- Upper Southern Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
8/1930 - 7/1931 12 months -6.39 in 2/1931
11/1931 - 12/1931 2 months -3.44 in 12/1931
11/1941 - 2/1942 4 months -3.69 in 1/1942
1/1955 - 2/1955 2 months -3.70 in 1/1955
11/1964 - 1/1965 3 months -3.38 in 11/1964
6/1965 - 4/1966 11 months -4.92 in 12/1965
6/1966 - 8/1966 3 months -4.71 in 8/1966
6/1986 - 7/1986 2 months -3.48 in 7/1986
9/1986 - 10/1986 2 months -3.52 in 10/1986
10/1998 - 2/1999 5 months -4.63 in 12/1998
5/1999 - 7/1999 3 months -4.64 in 7/1999
2/2002 - 9/2002 8 months -3.97 in 8/2002

-- Northeastern Shore Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
2/1901 - 3/1901 2 months -3.32 in 2/1901
8/1930 - 2/1931 7 months -6.00 in 2/1931
11/1941 - 2/1942 4 months -3.61 in 11/1941
5/1942 - 6/1942 2 months -3.27 in 6/1942
10/1954 - 5/1955 8 months -3.91 in 5/1955
11/1964 - 12/1964 2 months -3.52 in 11/1964
6/1965 - 8/1966 15 months -5.19 in 12/1965
5/1977 - 9/1977 5 months -3.74 in 9/1977
6/1986 - 11/1986 6 months -4.35 in 9/1986
1/1992 - 2/1992 2 months -3.18 in 1/1992
2/2002 - 4/2002 3 months -3.77 in 2/2002
6/2002 - 9/2002 4 months -4.15 in 8/2002

-- Northern Central Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
12/1895 - 1/1896 2 months -3.50 in 1/1896
12/1896 - 1/1897 2 months -3.45 in 1/1897
8/1930 - 7/1931 12 months -6.49 in 2/1931
10/1931 - 2/1932 5 months -4.24 in 12/1931
11/1941 - 2/1942 4 months -3.22 in 1/1942
6/1954 - 5/1955 12 months -4.17 in 1/1955
8/1964 - 2/1965 7 months -4.57 in 11/1964
5/1965 - 8/1966 16 months -5.13 in 12/1965
5/1969 - 6/1969 2 months -3.16 in 6/1969
6/1986 - 11/1986 6 months -4.41 in 10/1986
7/1991 - 2/1992 8 months -3.84 in 11/1991
7/1999 - 8/1999 2 months -3.88 in 7/1999
12/2001 - 8/2002 9 months -4.70 in 2/2002

-- Appalachian Mountain Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
11/1895 - 1/1896 3 months -3.93 in 1/1896
5/1896 - 6/1896 2 months -3.60 in 5/1896
12/1896 - 1/1897 2 months -3.47 in 1/1897
9/1900 - 2/1901 6 months -4.66 in 2/1901
12/1908 - 1/1909 2 months -3.32 in 1/1909
11/1909 - 12/1909 2 months -3.35 in 12/1909
11/1910 - 12/1910 2 months -3.53 in 12/1910
5/1911 - 7/1911 3 months -3.98 in 7/1911
7/1930 - 7/1931 13 months -7.14 in 1/1931
10/1931 - 2/1932 5 months -4.59 in 12/1931
9/1943 - 2/1944 6 months -3.95 in 12/1943
11/1953 - 2/1954 4 months -3.84 in 2/1954
4/1954 - 7/1954 4 months -3.43 in 4/1954
11/1964 - 12/1964 2 months -3.24 in 12/1964
7/1965 - 8/1966 14 months -5.44 in 8/1966
2/1969 - 11/1969 10 months -4.73 in 6/1969
9/1986 - 10/1986 2 months -3.05 in 10/1986
7/1991 - 1/1992 7 months -4.42 in 11/1991
11/1998 - 3/1999 5 months -4.39 in 12/1998
6/1999 - 9/1999 4 months -4.20 in 8/1999
11/1999 - 1/2000 3 months -3.48 in 1/2000
1/2002 - 2/2002 2 months -3.94 in 2/2002

-- Allegheny Plateau Climate Division --
Drought Periods Duration Lowest PDSI
10/1895 - 2/1896 5 months -3.63 in 1/1896
4/1896 - 6/1896 3 months -3.61 in 5/1896
10/1900 - 3/1901 6 months -3.69 in 2/1901
11/1904 - 12/1904 2 months -3.15 in 11/1904
11/1908 - 1/1909 3 months -3.90 in 12/1908
11/1910 - 12/1910 2 months -3.39 in 12/1910
8/1930 - 2/1931 7 months -6.34 in 1/1931
12/1943 - 1/1944 2 months -3.31 in 1/1944
9/1953 - 7/1954 11 months -5.43 in 2/1954
12/1965 - 1/1966 2 months -3.50 in 12/1965
6/1966 - 8/1966 3 months -3.70 in 8/1966
1/1967 - 2/1967 2 months -3.32 in 1/1967
5/1969 - 11/1969 7 months -4.21 in 6/1969
7/1988 - 8/1988 2 months -3.47 in 7/1988
7/1991 - 6/1992 12 months -5.88 in 11/1991
10/1992 - 11/1992 2 months -3.19 in 10/1992
12/1998 - 2/1999 3 months -3.83 in 12/1998
6/1999 - 7/2000 14 months -5.14 in 1/2000
11/2001 - 2/2002 4 months -4.43 in 2/2002

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