Northeast News

Conditions Persist or Deteriorate This Week
The U.S. Drought Monitor released on Thursday, December 18 showed drought and/or abnormally dry conditions persist or deteriorate in the Northeast this week. Factors such as limited precipitation, below-normal streamflow and groundwater levels, and reduced soil moisture were the primary drivers.

• Severe coverage was introduced in Massachusetts and southern Maryland and expanded in eastern Pennsylvania.
• Moderate drought grew in coverage in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
• Abnormal dryness expanded in southern New England, southeastern New York, and southeastern New Jersey.
• Seven-day streamflow was record-low in several places, particularly parts of the Mid-Atlantic.
• Reservoir levels in places like New Jersey and southeastern New York remained below normal or declined.
• Groundwater levels were record low in multiple areas across the Northeast, with little, if any, recovery expected in northern locations where ground has frozen.
• The short-term outlooks for December 23-31 favor near- to above-normal precipitation for most of the Northeast.

For the latest information, visit 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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