Drought

The drought status eased in Massachusetts’ Connecticut River Valley, Central, Southeast and Western regions of the state as they were shifted from a Level 2 – Significant Drought to a Level 1 – Mild Drought. Spring showers and several months of consistent precipitation brought much-needed relief. However, more rain was needed to recover from prolonged drought. Mass.gov, April 9, 2025

All nonessential outdoor water use was prohibited in Beverly, including watering lawns and gardens using a sprinkler or irrigation system, car washing and filling of swimming pools since the city declared a Level 3 "Critical" Drought, effective immediately. The city of Beverly's water supply is provided by the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board. Salem enacted a similar restriction in recent days. Beverly, MA Patch, April 9, 2025

March runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 2.3 million acre-feet, 76% of average. Conditions across most of the basin remained dry. While mountain snowpack improved, it was still below average. The six mainstem power plants generated 610 million kWh of electricity in March, compared to typical energy generation in March is 636 million kWh. Forecast generation for 2025 is 8.9 billion kWh compared to the long-term average of 9.4 billion kWh. US Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division, April 9, 2025

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force included 34 counties in a drought watch advisory, which was to prepare the public for a potential drought. CBS 19 News (Charlottesville, Va.), April 7, 2025

The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group announced that the river system was in Stage 0 of its drought protocol, which means increased monitoring of the reservoirs. Stage 0 does not yet require any water conservation steps. WSOC-TV ABC 9 Charlotte (N.C.), April 3, 2025

Drought has had only a limited effect on strawberry production in Texas because the berries are irrigated with drip tape. The dry weather has been beneficial because it reduces insects and disease. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 1, 2025

Florida had 54 wildfires burning on the morning of April 7, up from 49 on April 4, according to the Florida Forest Service. The blazes affected 1,333 acres. The largest fire, the Wiggins Fire, has charred 250 acres in Collier County. Seven counties had burn bans, including Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lake and Sarasota. Naples Daily News (Fla.), April 7, 2025

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong signed an executive order declaring a statewide fire emergency and activating the State Emergency Operations Plan. The state continued to endure above average temperatures and below average precipitation, which exacerbated drought conditions and increased the risk of wildfires. Drought and an early thaw have contributed to an early and longer spring fire season than usual. The Forest Service has already begun staging resources in Dickinson and Bismarck to aid local fire departments. KNOX News Radio 1310 AM & 107.9 FM (Grand Forks, N.D.), April 7, 2025

Conditions remained extremely dry in the South Plains, and the district missed rain in the forecast again. High winds and lack of moisture created blowing dust and increased soil drying. Soil sampling was wrapping up as producers were beginning to make management decisions on their fields for the growing season. Deep soil moisture was verified by samples down to 20 inches. Preirrigation started in some fields to prepare for corn grain and silage plantings. Spray equipment was moving as producers prepared to apply preplant herbicides. Producer crop outlooks were not very positive with current markets. Cotton acres were expected to be down. Fertilizer top-dressing of winter wheat fields continued and could help achieve yield goals. Pasture conditions continued to deteriorate without moisture. Cattle were relying heavily on supplemental feeding. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 1, 2025 Very dry conditions continued across the South Plains. Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels were very short due to a lack of rainfall and daily winds. Producers were trying to hold the dirt down and water when possible. Strong winds of 50-80 mph throughout one day created a tremendous dust storm. Barns, equipment and irrigation pivots across the South Plains were damaged. Cattle were in good condition. Due to the dry conditions, winter wheat was in poor condition, and producers were providing supplemental feed to compensate for the lack of forage availability. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 18, 2025 South Plains subsoil and topsoil moisture levels were short, with no measurable rainfall for several weeks. Windy conditions were expected to worsen the situation. Much of the leftover forage from last summer was depleted due to poor winter wheat grazing. Cattle remained on supplemental feed and were in good condition, but rangeland growth struggled with extreme dryness. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 4, 2025

The Maryland Department of the Environment issued a drought warning for most of the state as a result of continued dry conditions and below-average rainfall over the past year. Maryland.gov (Baltimore), April 3, 2025

Grass fires have kept firefighters busy in Cowley County in March. The largest blaze happened on March 14 and 15, briefly causing evacuations for people west of Dexter. Cowley Courier Traveler (Winfield, Kan.), March 27, 2025

Cowley County wheat was short and turning blue, indicating drought stress. Grass and water supplies were also a concern for cattle producers as ponds were drying up. Wheat in Kay County, Oklahoma was short also. Cowley Courier Traveler (Winfield, Kan.), March 27, 2025

A burn ban took effect in Lake County on Tuesday, March 25, as drought and wildfire conditions persisted. WKMG-TV CBS 6 Click Orlando (Fla.), March 25, 2025

The statewide burn ban that took effect on March 21 in North Carolina has been lifted after adequate rainfall dampened the fire danger somewhat. The state Forest Service listed 56 active wildfires through the evening of April 1, with the largest in Polk and Henderson counties that have burned around 7,700 acres. The three blazes that comprised the Black Cove Complex have been fed by dry, breezy conditions and massive amounts of timber downed by Hurricane Helene six months ago. Island Free Press (Hatteras, N.C.), April 2, 2025

Chambersburg was in a drought warning as the Long Pine Run Reservoir was at 45% of capacity, which below normal for this time of year. Water restrictions were voluntary with the aim of reducing water use by 10% to 15%. Tri-State Alert (Chambersburg, Pa.), March 27, 2025

Since the start of 2025, Georgia has had 1,644 wildfires that incinerated nearly 14,000 acres, destroying 10 homes and 35 outbuildings. The number of fires is 20% higher and acreage burned is 50% more than the state’s five-year average. FOX 5 Atlanta (Ga.), March 27, 2025

The U.S. Forest Service announced the Stage II fire restrictions for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest after weeks of strong winds, low humidity and numerous wildfires in the region. FOX 5 Atlanta (Ga.), March 27, 2025

Drought has lowered the level of the Saginaw River enough to reveal shipwrecks in Bay City. One is a steamer, and the other is a schooner. MLive (Detroit, Mich.), March 27, 2025

Fire activity in South Carolina continued to be above normal. To this point in March, 339 fires have burned 7,916 acres, compared to the five-year average of 290 fires burning 4,134 acres. The tally for acres burned this month does not yet include the large Horry County and Table Rock blazes which continue to burn. The Sumter Item (S.C.), March 26, 2025

Six South Carolina counties that were declared to be free of drought in February were recategorized as being in incipient drought on March 26 when the state Drought Response Committee met. Those six counties were Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, McCormick, Oconee and Pickens. Aiken has been free of drought since Dec. 4, but was back in drought again. Altogether, 33 counties were in incipient drought, and 13 were in normal condition. The Sumter Item (S.C.), March 26, 2025