Drought Update
May 8, 2026:
Today, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared worsened drought conditions in several regions of Massachusetts. The Connecticut River Valley, Central, and Northeast Regions and Nantucket County are now in a Level 2 - Significant Drought. The Western and Southeast Regions and Dukes County have moved to a Level 1 – Mild Drought. Conditions have slightly improved in the Cape, which is now a Level 1 – Mild Drought. During March, Massachusetts received approximately 3 to 5.5 inches of precipitation, which is normal for this time of year. Some areas – like Essex, Middlesex, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties – got less than normal, about 0.5 to 1.5 inches below average.
During April, precipitation was well below normal in Massachusetts. The state’s monthly totals ranged from 1.5 to 3 inches. The greatest deficits occurred across Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, where only .75 to 1 inch of rainfall was observed – equating to departures of 3 to 4.5 inches below normal. Over the past 3 to 6 months, most of the state has received only 60 to 90 percent of normal precipitation. Nantucket continues to experience the most significant deficits, with totals near 50 percent of normal over both time periods. As a result, in spite of temporary relief from snowmelt in March, recent rainfall has not been enough to make up for the longer-term precipitation and groundwater deficits that have built up over the past two years. While conditions may appear improved in the short term, key indicators such as groundwater take longer to recover and continue to reflect these deficits.
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Posted: to General News on Fri, Mar 13, 2026
Updated: Wed, May 13, 2026