Northeast News

Minimal Change in Drought This Week
The U.S. Drought Monitor released on Thursday, May 7 showed drought and/or abnormally dry conditions expand in a few spots closer to the coast due to factors like below-normal precipitation and reduced streamflow, groundwater levels, and soil moisture. However, wetter weather allowed severe drought to contract in coastal Maine. Conditions were unchanged for much of the Northeast, with drought-related impacts persisting.

• Severe drought grew to cover 90% of Maryland and 58% of Delaware this week compared to 68% and less than 1%, respectively, last week.
• Severe drought also expanded in southeastern New Hampshire but contracted in coastal Maine.
• Abnormal dryness increased in parts eastern New York and southeastern Massachusetts.
• Record-low seven-day streamflow was found in locations along a path from West Virginia to New Hampshire.
• Groundwater levels were record low several areas including southern Maryland, New Jersey, eastern Massachusetts, and southern Maine.
• Agricultural impacts tied to the dry conditions continued to be reported in West Virginia.
• The short-term outlooks for May 12-16 predict above-normal precipitation and below-normal temperatures for most of the Northeast, conditions that would be expected to limit deterioration. However, near-normal precipitation and temperatures are predicted for southern West Virginia.
• Predicted above-normal temperatures and near-normal precipitation for the Mid-Atlantic during the May 14-20 period has the potential to lead to worsening drought conditions.

For more information, see the Northeast DEWS Dashboard (to see the full Northeast, click on the grayed-out Pennsylvania in the map in the top left) and the Northeast Drought Update. Submit drought impact reports via the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) page.

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