Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

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. The State Climate Office, in partnership with the Rhode Island Water Resources Board, provides weekly input to the U.S. Drought Monitor that captures the presence of meteorological, agricultural, and hydrological drought.

Weekly Drought Discussion

Map Snapshot: Tuesday, August 26 | Released: Thursday, August 28

Abnormally dry (D0) conditions persist across Bristol, Kent, Newport, and Washington counties – including the southern half of East Providence. 2”-2.4” of rainfall on August 21 prevented further drought deterioration along the south coast and Narragansett Bay. Interior locations also benefited from upwards of 1” of precipitation. Some streamflow levels improved from last week, though many remain below normal for late August. Due to high demand and low groundwater levels in Washington County, a full outdoor water ban continues for public water supply customers in South Kingstown and Narragansett. The map will be updated on Thursday, September 4.

Are there drought conditions or impacts near you? Submit a Condition Monitoring Observer Report (CMOR) to help document localized drought.

 

Progression of Drought

  1. 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. 

  2. 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. 

  3. 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. 

  4. 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.

Additional Resources