Drought conditions continue to worsen in Maine after the state dealt with an especially dry October.
Extreme conditions, which is the second highest level of drought, have expanded to cover a section of northern Maine and include almost 10 percent of the state.
(Maine Drought Monitor as of November 5, 2026)
Severe drought now covers more the 60 percent of Maine while the entire state is under at least moderate drought.
The Climate Prediction Center’s outlook calls for near-average precipitation in November for Maine while the temperature outlook favors warmer-than-average conditions in November.
More than 1.3 million Mainers live in some sort of drought condition.
(Maine Drought Monitor as of October 22, 2026)
The entire state became emersed in drought on Sept. 10, while extreme drought became present the next week on Sept. 17.
The fall outlook from the National Weather Service calls for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Maine experienced its most damaging drought between 1999 and 2002, during which an estimated 17,000 private wells ran dry, and farmers lost more than $32 million in crop yield.
More recently, Maine experienced significant droughts in both 2016 and 2020-2022, with widespread impacts to water supply, agriculture, and recreation.
