Drought — Coastal Cumberland, Maine

2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · Coastal Cumberland, Maine

Event narrative

Cumberland County averaged 2.38 inches of precipitation in November, approximately 2 inches below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew over inches, making it the 3rd driest stretch between July through November on record. By mid-to-late November, 100% of the county was classified under Severe Drought (D2), with pockets of Extreme Drought (D3) still lingering from the peak of the crisis in late October. The USDM on November 25th had 62% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 38% in Extreme Drought (D3). On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially designated Cumberland County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area. Cumberland County was one of the state's most heavily impacted areas for residential water shortages. According to the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Cumberland was among the top three counties in Maine for reported dry wells (alongside Oxford and Somerset). Livestock producers in the Sebago Lake and Windham regions reported having to buy out-of-state hay months earlier than usual due to the failure of late-summer pasture growth. Some public water districts in Cumberland County reported ongoing supply challenges, though large-scale infrastructure in the Portland area helped mitigate widespread service interruptions. Technical support was prioritized for smaller community systems at risk of running dry.

Wider weather episode

November 2025 brought modest improvements to Maine'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.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1300350. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.