Drought — Merrimack, New Hampshire

2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · Merrimack, New Hampshire

Event narrative

Merrimack County averaged 2.17 inches of precipitation in November, approximately 2 inches below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew near 6 inches, making it the 3rd driest stretch between July through November on record. The USDM on November 25th had 30% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1), 57% of the county in Severe Drought (D2), and 11% in abnormally dry (D0). On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially designated Merrimack as a contiguous eligible county following a secretarial disaster declaration for the state. Homeowners in rural areas, particularly in towns like Dunbarton and Bow, reported a surge in private well failures. One well-drilling company in Dunbarton reported receiving 15 to 20 calls daily during the peak of the crisis from residents whose wells had either run dry or were producing critically low yields. An estimated 5,523 acres of hay and 3,177 acres of haylage in Merrimack County were impacted. Roughly 2,653 cattle and 676 sheep in the county were directly affected by the drought. Producers reported higher costs for hauling water and purchasing supplemental grain to offset the lack of natural forage. Major water bodies, including parts of Lake Sunapee (which borders the county), remained at or near winter drawdown targets due to extremely low inflows. Streamflows in the Merrimack River basin were recorded at levels significantly below normal for the month of November.

Wider weather episode

November 2025 brought modest improvements to New Hampshire's drought conditions, primarily driven by the transition into cooler weather and a significant reduction in vegetative water demand. While soil moisture levels showed the most notable gains, the region's hydrological recovery was hindered by another month of below-normal precipitation. Consequently, despite some localized relief, a large area of severe drought persisted, and streamflows and groundwater levels continued to struggle.

The arrival of wintry weather and colder air introduced the season's first widespread snowfall, with most of the state recording at least an inch and higher accumulations in the mountains. However, actual precipitation fell short of expectations; coastal regions received only 50-60% of their normal totals, while only the mountainous areas saw near or above-average moisture. Although there were broad improvements in the extent of extreme drought throughout the month, substantial long-term deficits remain. While November brought some surface-level relief from rainfall and early snow, groundwater levels remained below normal to much below normal. Because groundwater recharges more slowly than surface water, many private wells remained dry or critically low. It was estimated that an additional 6 to 12 inches of precipitation was still required to fully restore soil moisture and replenish depleted groundwater reserves.

In response to widespread dry well reports, the state reopened the Emergency Drought Assistance Program (EDAP) in November 2025. State officials reported that by November, over 250 residents statewide had officially reported dry wells, with a high concentration in the Seacoast and Mid-State regions. Shallow dug wells were the most affected, as they were unable to reach the receding water table.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1300339. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.