Drought
Weekly Drought Discussion
Apr 21 - Apr 28, 2026
Abnormal dryness (D0) remains in southern Rhode Island as of Tuesday, April 21. The state picked up between 0.25” and 1.50” of precipitation in the last week, with pockets of western Washington and Kent counties receiving the most. The East Bay region – where D0 conditions persist – observed the least rainfall. Streamflows are a mixed bag across Rhode Island, with some rivers in the below-normal range. Shallow groundwater levels reflect the recent lack of substantial precipitation and have been declining since the end of March. The past week’s light rainfall and cooler temperatures have helped soil moisture levels recover. The map will be updated on Thursday, April 30.
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.