Maine and Portland are experiencing a lengthy dry spell after heavier than normal precipitation in the first five months of the year.

The region received less than half the normal amount of rain from June through August, with only 5.23 inches of rain from June 1 to August 31, while the normal for the time period is 11.1 inches.

Accuweather Meteorologist Joe Lundberg doesn’t see any relief in sight.

“A front is going to come through here Friday and drop the temperature for the weekend, but no rain with that front,” said Lundberg. “And then we go to next week and it warms back up again, and our next chance of any meaningful precipitation is probably not until the last few days of the month.”

More than half of Maine is currently under extreme drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, including northern Cumberland County.

Only the far northern portion of the state has avoided any abnormally dry conditions.

Lundberg says there’s a storm near Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina that will bring clouds to Maine, but no precipitation.

In fact, he does not see precipitation picking up anytime this fall.

“Going forward deeper to the fall season, yes, there’ll be some fronts that will come through,” Lundberg said. “Yes, we’ll get some opportunities for rain, but I don’t see widespread beneficial rains to ease the drought conditions that have grown rather widespread across the region in recent weeks.”

For the winter season in the months ahead, Lundberg hints at a potential snowy forecast, but says the official prediction from Accuweather will be released in the upcoming week. Meanwhile, the less scientific Farmers’ Almanac is predicting heavy snow this winter in New England.