The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday shows expanded drought conditions statewide, affecting more than 1.1 million Mainers.
MAINE, USA — The latest drought map released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows expanded drought conditions and increased severity for nearly 90 percent of the state.
The agency estimates roughly 1.1 million people in Maine are in drought areas as of Aug. 26.
U.S. Drought Monitor releases a new map each Thursday.
Northern Maine, with the exception of the top northwest corner of the state, is listed in abnormally dry conditions. Central and southern Maine, with the exception of a swath of coastline, are listed in moderate drought. The majority of coastal Maine, from Lincoln County through Down East and as far inland as Penobscot Bay, is listed in severe drought.
Only 13 percent of the state is not listed under any drought or dry conditions, according to the agency.
The severe drought area did not expand significantly week over week, but NEWS CENTER Maine meteorologists said Thursday they did not expect the conditions to change significantly through October, unless a tropical system comes through that brings statewide soaking rain, for example.
“This picture isn’t going to change a whole lot for probably at least another month and a half, when we start to get into more synoptic-scale or bigger weather systems,” meteorologist Ryan Breton said in Thursday’s episode of Weather Weenies. “Now through early October it’s generally speaking just fronts that don’t drop a lot of rain.
Meteorologist Dana Osgood, who appeared on the same episode with Breton, agreed.
“Right, you get the scattered showers and thunderstorms, hit-or-miss rain coming in,” Osgood added. “I think the best-case scenario, if we don’t see some sort of tropical system, is keeping it steady. What we don’t want is it just to continue to get drier.”
The next drought map will be posted Thursday, Sept. 4.
