Drought
Weekly Drought Discussion
Mar 17 - Mar 24, 2026
Abnormal dryness (D0) was removed from Providence County and western Kent County as of Tuesday, March 17. Northwest Rhode Island received the most precipitation in the last week (up to 2.5”) while coastal locations received closer to 1”. D0 conditions are still present in central and southern areas due to below-normal 28-day streamflow averages and little groundwater recovery. Much of the snowpack was able to recharge streams and begin to trickle into groundwater, but large deficits remain in Washington County. The municipal water supplier for South Kingstown and Narragansett reported the Chipuxet River aquifer remains 3 feet below average. Frequent and ample precipitation is required to correct long-term dryness in central and southern areas, especially ahead of the growing season. The map will be updated on Thursday, March 26.
Report Drought Impacts
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What is Drought?
Drought is the natural deficiency of precipitation over weeks, months, and occasionally, years. 30-year precipitation averages, known as climate normals, provide the historical context behind drought. The spatial extent of drought can vary widely, as the Rhode Island's diverse terrain and coastal location create microclimates that respond to drought differently.
Progression of Drought
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Meteorological Drought
All droughts begin as a period of dryness (rainfall deficit). Annual seasonal dry periods are not to be considered droughts. Characteristics of meteorological drought include periods of high temperatures, high winds, and low relative humidity. Meteorological droughts increase the occurrences of forest fires.
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Agricultural Drought
After a few weeks, the agricultural community is impacted by the effects of drought, including precipitation deficits, inadequate soil moisture, and low water levels in irrigation ponds. Plants become stressed and lead to reduced crop yields.
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Hydrological Drought
Stream flows, reservoir and lake levels, and ground water tables decline after long periods of dryness. Hydrological droughts lag the occurrence of meteorological and agricultural droughts because it takes more time for precipitation deficits to impact water suppliers. View hydrological drought conditions on the Rhode Island Water Resources Board Drought Monitoring Dashboard.
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Returning to Normal Conditions
When precipitation patterns return to normal, the agricultural community is the first to recover. Soil water reserves are replenished first, followed by stream flows, reservoirs and lake levels, and finally groundwater tables. Users of groundwater, often the last to be affected by drought during its onset, may be the last to experience a return to normal conditions. Typically, 3 months of near normal precipitation and 2 months of normal groundwater levels are required to end a drought.