Drought — Interior Waldo, Maine

2025-08-19 to 2025-08-31 · Interior Waldo, Maine

Event narrative

Drought conditions developed across Maine in the summer of 2025. According to the August 26th, 2025 release of the United States Drought Monitor, 11% of Maine was experiencing Severe Drought, 62% was experiencing Moderate Drought and 87% was abnormally dry.

Maine experienced a rapid flash drought during the summer of 2025, which saw conditions deteriorate quickly after a very wet spring. The summer began with ample soil moisture from a rainy May. However, conditions turned dry in June, with most of the state receiving only 50-70% of normal rainfall. This trend accelerated dramatically in July and August, which were exceptionally dry. For the full summer (June-August), Maine recorded its sixth-driest summer on record, with most of the state receiving less than half its normal precipitation. The drought's onset was swift. The lack of rain led to elevated wildfire danger, with more than double the historic average of fires in July and August, with August more than doubling the all-time highest fires in the month of August. Streamflows and groundwater wells were well below normal for August with dry well reports beginning. Very dry soil conditions impacted farmers with water conservation measures and trucking of water.

On a county-wide average, Waldo County received slightly more than half of their normal August rainfall around 1.79 inches. Normal rainfall is 3.11 inches. When combined with July rainfall, the total was 3.16 inches, averaging 3.32 inches below normal. This does not include the additional moisture lost through excessive evaporation, which added to the deficits.

Wider weather episode

Maine experienced a rapid flash drought during the summer of 2025, which saw conditions deteriorate quickly after a very wet spring.

The summer began with ample soil moisture from a rainy May. However, conditions turned dry in June, with most of the state receiving only 50-70% of normal rainfall. This trend accelerated dramatically in July and August, which were exceptionally dry. For the full summer (June-August), Maine recorded its sixth-driest summer on record, with most of the state receiving less than half its normal precipitation.

The drought's onset was swift. In early July, only 4% of the state was classified as abnormally dry. By late August, roughly 80% of Maine was in some stage of drought, with Severe Drought (D2) conditions emerging in the Mid-Coast regions. The lack of rain led to elevated wildfire danger, with more than double the historic average of fires in July and August, with August more than doubling the all-time highest fires in the month of August. Streamflows and groundwater wells were well below normal for August with dry well reports beginning. Very dry soil conditions impacted farmers with water conservation measures and trucking of water.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1292170. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.