Drought in Western and Central Hillsborough, New Hampshire

Hillsborough County averaged 3.14 inches of precipitation in March, approximately 0.66 inches below normal, marking the 5th driest June through March with deficits near 9 inches. The USDM on March 31st had 3% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1) and 97% in Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions.

Despite the seasonal transition, New Hampshire remained locked in drought. Persistent precipitation deficits over the winter, falling as low as 50% of normal in southern areas prevented categorical recovery. As of late March, 41% of New Hampshire were classified under D2 (Severe Drought) conditions. New Hampshire exhibited highly variable precipitation patterns in March 2026. While the state continued to observe below-normal accumulations and persistent hydrologic strain, central sections along the Merrimack valley and White Mountains experienced modest precipitation surpluses. The onset of seasonal thaw provided minor, superficial relief to shallow soil layers, but slow-responding deep groundwater tables remained severely depleted, with many monitoring locations lingering near or below the 25th percentile.