Drought — Coastal Waldo, Maine

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

Event narrative

Waldo County averaged 2.73 inches of precipitation in November, approximately 2 inches below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew over 6 inches, making it the 5th driest stretch between July through November on record. The USDM on November 25th had 100% of the county in Extreme Drought (D3). The impacts were categorized by a critical lack of groundwater recharge and heavy losses in the local farming sector. On November 21, 2025, Waldo County received dual recognition from the USDA due to the intensity of the drought as a Primary Natural Disaster Area (alongside Hancock, Knox, and Washington) because it suffered through Severe Drought for eight or more consecutive weeks during the growing season. The drought severely impacted Waldo County's diverse agricultural landscape. An estimated 8,184 acres of hay and 6,616 acres of haylage in the county were directly impacted. Over 3,400 cattle and 1,500 sheep in the county were estimated to be living in drought-affected areas, leading to increased costs for water hauling and supplemental nutrition.

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 1300354. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.