Drought in Belknap, New Hampshire

Belknap County averaged 1.22 inches of precipitation in February, approximately 1.63 inches below normal, marking the 10th driest February. The USDM on February 24th had 100% of the county in Severe Drought (D2).

In February 2026, New Hampshire's drought conditions remained steady in their classification while experiencing ongoing hydrologic strain. By the end of the month, the state's drought extent held firm with 41% categorized as Severe Drought (D2), 37% as Moderate Drought (D1), and 22% as Abnormally Dry (D0). Although seasonal snowpack remained near normal across much of the state, particularly on the slopes of the White Mountains, the water content was relatively low, and the snowpack peaked in late February, nearly three weeks earlier than usual. Deep soil frost depths between 6 and 20 inches created a cap that blocked melting snow and rain from recharging deep aquifers. Consequently, the majority of groundwater monitoring levels remained at or below the 25th percentile.