Drought — Southern Grafton, New Hampshire

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

Event narrative

Grafton County averaged 2.96 inches of precipitation in November, approximately an inch below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew near 6 inches, making it the 4th driest stretch between July through November on record. The USDM on November 25th had 91% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 9% in Moderate Drought (D1) primarily located in the north sector. By November, the Small Business Administration (SBA) also activated federal disaster loans for small businesses and nonprofits in Grafton County that suffered economic injury due to the drought's impact on local industries like tourism and agriculture. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) noted that reported dry wells were most heavily concentrated in Grafton and Coos Counties. In the Upper Valley and mountain regions, demand for well-drilling services flipped from 80% new construction to 80% replacement wells. Major lakes in or bordering the county, such as Newfound Lake and Squam Lake, experienced record-low inflows. This forced dam operators to limit outflows to stabilize lake levels near winter drawdown targets. The Baker River and other tributaries saw flows drop to the 10th percentile or lower for much of the month, threatening aquatic habitats and reducing local hydroelectric capacity.

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 1300345. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.