New England Continues to Experience Prolonged Drought

A nor'easter and several fast-moving rainstorms have not been adequate to reverse the persistent drought that has plagued parts of New England. While Boston and most of Massachusetts have been receiving some replenishment of streams, rivers, and groundwater supplies, recent heavy rains have provided little relief in significant parts of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

According to The Boston Globe, much of Massachusetts west of Boston is under a moderate drought, the lowest level. Cape Cod and the islands are experiencing substantial drought effects. The Cape is approximately 3 inches below the 30-year rainfall average (1991-2000). Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are farther behind, with a precipitation deficit between 9 and 15 inches.

Heavy rains from the Columbus Day weekend nor'easter didn't ease the drought-stricken areas that needed it the most. Instead, the storm's precipitation drenched already-overly wet regions like southeastern Massachusetts with nearly 7 inches of rain. Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine only received 1 to 3 inches from the storm.

“These storms are making a dent in the drought conditions, but certainly not alleviating the drought,” said Eric Hoffman, a meteorology professor at Plymouth State University. “You get a cumulative effect as the drought continues; it gets worse.... A couple of days of rain will help in the very short term, but those long-term influences, like the dry soils, will take a little bit more time to come back.” 

Amin Mohebbi, a hydrologist and associate professor at Boston College, said that drought concerns on Cape are exacerbated because the region has not recovered as quickly from last fall's drought. Groundwater levels on the peninsula remain below normal, while streams and wetlands continue to demonstrate the lingering effects of a prolonged precipitation deficit.

The Cape's sandy soil and coastal climate promote rapid drying, allowing the ground to drain quickly.

“High evapotranspiration rates, especially during warm, windy periods, can quickly remove moisture from the surface before it reaches the [Cape Cod] aquifer,” said Mohebbi.