Mid-October - Leaning Dry and Warm for Most
During the first half of October, many parts of the Northeast were drier than normal, particularly northern New England and northern New York, allowing drought conditions to intensify. However, a few locally wetter spots saw drought conditions improve. Meanwhile, the first half of October was warmer than normal for almost the entire region.
Read more in the NRCC BlogNortheast News
Minimal Change in Drought Conditions; Wetter Weather Expected
For much of the Northeast, drought and abnormally dry conditions were unchanged from last week. With that said, there was some improvement in places like West Virginia and Vermont but some deterioration in places like Maine and New Jersey. Wetter-than-normal weather is favored in the short-term outlooks.
- All of Vermont remained in drought for a record-setting eighth consecutive week (since the U.S. Drought Monitor began in 2000).
- New Hampshire tied its highest coverage of extreme drought in the history of the U.S. Drought Monitor (since 2000) set last week.
- Extreme drought was erased from Pennsylvania and contracted in northwestern Vermont but expanded in central Maine.
- Severe drought contracted in West Virginia, southwestern Pennsylvania, and northwestern Vermont but spread in northern Maine.
- Streamflow and groundwater levels remain below normal in multiple areas, with hundreds of dry/low well reports in Vermont and Maine.
- Impacts such as reduced hay yields, use of supplemental feed for livestock, and low or dried up water sources continue to be reported.
- Short-term outlooks for October 28-November 5 favor above-normal precipitation for a majority of the Northeast.
Website Highlights
Weather Station Data
Weather Station Data includes location-specific information, such as wind data, evapotranspiration, and daily almanacs.
CLIMOD 2 is a user-friendly website to find single-station and multi-station climate products for locations accross the country. For example, the Seasonal Ranking report produces a graph and table of extremes or other summaries for a specified period for each year.
Go to CLIMOD 2State & Regional Analyses
These provide several map types, regional climate summaries, snow survey data, and drought information.
The Monthly Maps offer a variety of monthly precipitation and temperature departure maps for any given month for the Northeast region or a selected state.
Go to Monthly Map pageAnalyses for Industry
Analyses for Industry shows products the NRCC has created through partnerships with various industries.
Recent Extreme Precipitation Changes in the Northeast U.S. compares the amounts and return periods of extreme precipitaiton events to a past reference year.
Go to Extreme Precipitation PageWebinars & Workshops
Webinars & Workshops provides recordings and presentations from the monthly webinar series, as well as information on past and upcoming workshops.
The Northeast Regional Climate Center hosts a monthly webinar series with NOAA affiliates to address timely weather topics.
Go to Monthly WebinarsPublications & Services
Publications & Services includes the NRCC blog, quarterly outlooks, as well as other reports and publications.
The Quarterly Outlooks are seasonal climate highlights and outlook for the upcoming season for the Eastern, Region, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Maine. Published in March, June, September and December.
Go to Quarterly Reports