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Most of New England has experienced much less precipitation than normal over the past month.Boston Globe<\/p>\nAlso, the southeastern and western parts of Mass., and Martha\u2019s Vineyard, which were also considered back to normal last month, are now experiencing \u201cmild\u201d drought, according to officials. Nantucket continues to experience the most significant deficits, with totals near 50 percent of normal. <\/p>\n
Rainfall was well below normal in April, ranging from 1.5 inches to 3 inches statewide, versus the 4.12 inches of precipitation that Mass. usually sees, according to NOAA data, which makes April 2026 the driest April across the state since 2010. Over the past three to six months, most of the state has received 60 to 90 percent of normal precipitation, according to the Mass. Drought Management Task Force. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile conditions may appear improved in the short term,\u201d key indicators, such as groundwater, take longer to recover, officials said. The greatest rainfall deficits have been seen on the islands, which saw only 0.75 to 1 inch of rain, about 3 to 4.5 inches below normal. <\/p>\n
Most of New England has experienced much less precipitation than normal over the past month.Boston Globe<\/p>\n
\u201cRecent rainfall has helped, but rivers are still running low and groundwater levels remain below normal,\u201d said Rebecca Tepper, EEA secretary. \u201cThese conditions reflect the longer-term dry period we\u2019ve been experiencing.\u201d <\/p>\n
The one bright spot is Cape Cod, officials noted, where conditions have \u201cslightly improved\u201d to a \u201cmild drought.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, parts of Northern New England<\/a> \u2014 New Hampshire and Maine especially \u2014 are still in the throes of severe drought.<\/p>\n Using its own analysis, the US Drought Monitor was overall in agreement with Mass. officials, reporting in its latest update, below, that the eastern and central parts of the state are experiencing moderate drought.<\/p>\n Besides groundwater levels, officials noted, this two-year drought also continues to affect streamflow, vernal pools, and ponds and dependent species, as well as drying out vegetation and groundcover. Residents who use well water are most susceptible to issues if the groundwater levels continue to drop.<\/p>\n A dry spring and continued drought may very well compound fire risk across New England during the summer months, especially for regions up north. During the summer months, leaves generally shield the forest floor from intense sunshine, but with extensive drought in place, leaves may not grow as strongly, nor release as much water vapor to help keep the air moist, making vegetation highly vulnerable to combustion during any prolonged dry periods.<\/p>\n New England\u2019s next chance of rain<\/a> is expected Wednesday and should last through Thursday. A main low will extend a warm front through the region, sparking light, scattered showers on Wednesday. Then, a developing coastal low over New Jersey will surge north through New England on Thursday, bringing more steady rain across all of New England.<\/p>\n As the region slowly gets back to normal rainfall, state officials advise residents to check their community\u2019s website to see if any water restrictions are in place.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re planting this time of the year, you\u2019ll need to be a little more conscious about hand watering or irrigating if you can,\u201d said meteorologist Dave Epstein. <\/p>\n Marianne Mizera can be reached at marianne.mizera@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her @MareMizera<\/a>. Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5Q64HSBZDFA7VP564IQ6W23JJE.png\")
A dry spring thus far has increased drought conditions across New England.Boston Globe<\/p>\n