Drought — Southern Somerset, Maine

2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · Southern Somerset, Maine

Event narrative

Somerset County averaged 2.61 inches of precipitation in November, approximately an inch 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. By the middle of the month, the county was primarily classified under Severe Drought (D2) conditions, with some eastern and southern portions touching Extreme Drought (D3) levels. The USDM on November 25th had 22% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1) and 78% of the county in Severe Drought (D2). On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially designated Somerset County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area. The county met the criteria of experiencing at least eight consecutive weeks of Severe Drought (D2) during the critical growing season. According to the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Somerset was among the top counties for reported dry wells. Due to the failure of pastures in late summer and autumn, Somerset livestock producers were forced to begin feeding their winter hay stocks as early as September. By November, many farmers had already exhausted their local supply and were forced to purchase expensive out-of-state hay. Significant reductions were reported in late-harvest crops, and orchard owners noted that the lack of soil moisture in November threatened the bud set for the 2026 season. Lower river levels on the Kennebec River (which runs through the county) contributed to a significant drop in regional hydropower generation, which was reportedly operating at roughly 50% of its normal capacity for that time of year.

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 1300353. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.