Drought — Coastal Cumberland, Maine

2025-09-01 to 2025-09-30 · Coastal Cumberland, Maine

Event narrative

Cumberland County averaged 3 inches of precipitation in September, approximately an inch below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew near 5 inches, making it the 6th driest stretch between July through September on record. The USDM on September 30th had 91% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 9% in Extreme Drought (D3). At the time of this report there were 81 dry wells reported across the county.

Wider weather episode

The period from June through September 2025 saw a dramatic worsening of drought conditions across Maine, establishing it as a historically severe event comparable to the 2001 drought. Despite some bookend rainfall in September, an extended stretch of warm, windy, and dry weather dominated, leading to rapid depletion of any moisture that fell. By September 30, the U.S. Drought Monitor classified nearly 72% of the state in at least Severe Drought (D2).That same report classified 28% of the state as Abnormally Dry (D0), 12.4% in Moderate Drought (D1), 43% in Severe Drought (D2), and 16.6% in Extreme Drought (D3) by area.

The July'September stretch was the 4th driest on record, averaging only 6.7 inches of precipitation'approximately 50% of normal. This period also recorded the 3rd warmest high temperatures on record for the state, averaging 75.9 (about 4 degrees above normal), accelerating evaporation and moisture loss.

The drought severely impacted multiple sectors across the state. Farmers suffered widespread crop losses, particularly affecting high-value crops like blueberries, cranberries, corn, potatoes, hay, and apples. The drought caused critically low streamflows, with many reporting record low levels. A significant number of private wells ran dry, directly impacting households. Hydropower production was reduced due to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers. Increased fire danger from dry fuels and depleted soil moisture necessitated the frequent implementation of burn bans throughout the period. The severity of this event prompted the USDA to declare the area a natural disaster, allowing for federal assistance.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1295768. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.