Drought — Southern Carroll, New Hampshire

2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · Southern Carroll, New Hampshire

Event narrative

Carroll County averaged 2.97 inches of precipitation in November, approximately one and a half inches below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew to almost 7 inches, making it the 2nd driest stretch between July through November on record. Lake Winnipesaukee tied with 2001 on daily minimum water levels early in the month. The USDM on November 25th had 100% of the county in Severe Drought (D2). On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially designated Carroll County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area. Carroll County was one of the most heavily impacted areas for private well failures in New Hampshire. The town of Conway was specifically cited by state officials as one of the hardest-hit municipalities for dry well reports.

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 1300341. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.