Drought — Southern Franklin, Maine

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

Event narrative

Franklin County averaged 2.80 inches of precipitation in November, approximately an inch 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. While much of the county was in Severe Drought (D2), the southern portion of the county reached Extreme Drought (D3) levels, triggering major federal and state emergency responses. The USDM on November 25th had 48% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1) and 52% in Severe Drought (D2). On November 21, 2025, the USDA officially designated Franklin County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area. According to the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Franklin was among the top six counties in the state for reported dry wells. Rural residents, particularly those with shallow or dug wells, faced critical water shortages. The Sandy River and Carrabassett River saw flows reach the 10th percentile or lower for the month of November, impacting local trout habitats and regional hydroelectric capacity. The drought decimated the third-cut of hay, which is vital for wintering livestock in the Western Maine mountains. Approximately 5,620 acres of hay and 3,464 acres of haylage in Franklin County were impacted. Farmers were forced to begin feeding winter hay stocks as early as September, leading to a shortage by November. An estimated 1,571 cattle and 363 sheep in the county were directly affected by dried-up farm ponds and poor pasture conditions, increasing the operational costs for local mountain farms.

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 1300362. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.