During the drought-monitoring period, which ended on the morning of September 29, mostly dry weather prevailed in the Northeast. Rain falling after the cutoff time will be assessed for next week’s report. Through daybreak on September 29, drought impacts continued to mount, with many more locations reporting wells running dry. Streamflow remained exceedingly low, while agricultural impacts remained severe. As mentioned last week, mid-September freezes that ended the growing season, combined with drought, may inhibit pasture recovery until the spring of 2021. On September 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rated 100% of Rhode Islands pastures in very poor to poor condition, along with 92% in Connecticut and Massachusetts. On the same date, USDA topsoil moisture was rated 100% very short to short in Maine and New Hampshire. Worsening conditions led to further expansion of moderate to extreme drought (D1 to D3) from Pennsylvania to New England, as well as a southward expansion of abnormal dryness (D0). Through the 28th, Northeastern month-to-date rainfall totals that would set September records (if no rain fell on the last 2 days of the month) included Burlington, Vermont (0.25 inch); Portland, Maine (0.24 inch); Augusta, Maine (0.18 inch); Saint Johnsbury, Vermont (0.17 inch); Caribou, Maine (0.14 inch); and Bangor, Maine (0.07 inch). Those September 1-28 totals were 2 to 7% of normal rainfall values.

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