New England Is Wicked Dry Right Now

Boston just had its driest summer on record with precipitation more than 6.5 inches below average.  It also had its hottest August on record, which has helped bake in the dryness.

About a quarter of Massachusetts (as well as 9 percent of New Hampshire) is in extreme drought, one step below the worst kind according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.  That's the first time Massachusetts has reached extreme drought in the 16 years the Drought Monitor has been in existence.  The rest of the Bay State is also experiencing some form of drought or abnormal dryness as are all of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The main cause for the relative lack of rain in New England has been a persistent ridge (sound familiar, Californians?) that’s shunted storms away from the region and helped lock in the heat.

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