Drought — Lincoln, Maine

2025-11-01 to 2025-11-30 · Lincoln, Maine

Event narrative

Lincoln County averaged 2.38 inches of precipitation in November, approximately 2 inches below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew over 7 inches, making it the 2nd driest stretch between July through November on record. While coastal areas saw minor surface-level relief from scattered rain and early snow, the county remained in a state of Severe Drought (D2) throughout the month. The USDM on November 25th had 50% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 50% in Extreme Drought. On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially recognized the severity of the situation by designating several Maine counties as disaster areas. An estimated 2,979 acres of hay and 1,041 acres of haylage in Lincoln County were impacted. The lack of a third cut of hay meant local farmers were forced to purchase expensive out-of-state feed much earlier than usual. Data indicated that approximately 1,193 sheep and 437 cattle in the county were directly affected by the parched pastures and diminished local water sources. While rivers and lakes showed slight improvements due to late-autumn storms, groundwater levels'the source for most private wells in the county continued to decline.

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 1300360. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.