MA Weather: Southeast Sees Critical Drought Conditions

After five months of below normal rainfall, the Southeast part of the state is under a level three critical drought.

The other six regions across the state — the Western, Connecticut River Valley, Central, Northeast, Cape Cod, and Islands regions— remain at a Level 2 – Significant Drought, unchanged from last month’s declaration.

Responding to increasingly severe drought conditions in some of the Commonwealth’s river basins, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides also declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought in the Charles River and Millers River watersheds.

State officials are urging residents to remain diligent in their efforts to prevent a wildfire and to take common sense safety measures when using outdoor fire pits, grills, and other open flames.

At a Level 3 – Critical Drought, many sectors, community functions, and environmental resources are strained. There is more reliance on mandatory conservation measures to augment voluntary measures.

Rainfall totals for September were within an inch of normal along the Berkshires and Western Hampden County, but were below normal across the remainder of the state, according to the state EEA. Across most of the Connecticut Valley, Central and Northeast regions into the Boston area, rainfall was 1 to 3 inches below normal. In the Southeast and Cape and Islands regions, rainfall was 2 to over 3 inches below normal. Meanwhile, temperatures remained above normal, as September temperatures averaged near normal to 3 degrees above normal across much of Massachusetts.

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs offered these immediate steps for communities to take:

• Adopt and implement the state’s nonessential outdoor water use restrictions for drought; Level 3 restriction calls for a ban on all nonessential outdoor water use.
• Strongly discourage or prohibit installation of new sod, seeding, and/or landscaping; washing of hard surfaces (sidewalks, patios, driveways, siding); personal vehicle or boat washing; operation of non-recirculating fountains; filling of swimming pools, hot tubs, and backyard informal rinks.
• Implement drought surcharge or seasonal water rates.
• Establish water-use reduction targets for all water users and identify top water users and conduct targeted outreach to help curb their use.