More than half of Maine is experiencing severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s latest report.
Sarah Jamison, the senior service hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, told members of Maine’s Drought Task Force that this past summer was one of the top 10 driest on record for Portland and Bangor.
In June, July and August, Portland saw only 5.23" of rain. Bangor wasn't much better with 5.44" during the summer months.
“We saw quite a different range between northern and southern Maine. It is not uncommon for Maine to see quite a lot of variability in our precipitation,” said Jamison. “This summer definitely fell shy of our normal [amounts]. It was actually the third driest summer for Bangor and the sixth driest for Portland.”
Jamison said Maine saw its most impactful lack of rainfall in August.
“Almost the entirety of the state Maine saw about 25% to 50% of normal precipitation,” said Jamison. “Most of the state received less than two inches of precipitation. A large swath of the state received less than an inch.”
Tom Gordon of the state’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry said farmers of most Maine crops have reported a drop in both quality and yield.
“In our 2022 census of agriculture, there are about 445,000 acres of crop land, but only 33,000 acres are irrigated,” said Gordon. “So, that leaves a lot of Maine agriculture vulnerable to problems with drought.”
“Farmers have been reporting lower yields for apples and sweet corn, a shorter season on corn, and farmers without irrigation systems in place really could not keep up with any crop that required watering,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maine Forest Service Regional Forest Ranger George Harris said there have been 662 wildfires this year, with 227 of those coming from August alone.
“We shut down our burn permit system so we would reduce chances of fire,” said Harris. “Because, in itself, the dryness does not create fires, it just contributes to the condition of fire and how deep it goes and how hard it is to put out.”
Harris compared the state’s drought conditions to what Maine experienced prior to the Great Fires of 1947.
“In looking at our history, if you were to compare this summer versus the 1947 fires that devastated the state, we’re actually running very parallel," said Harris.
And, he said, more fires could be on the horizon if conditions come together.
“We’re anticipating, if conditions align and there’s ignition sources, significant fires that are harder to fight,” said Harris. “The dryness contributes to the duration and the depth of the fires.”
Spectrum Meteorologist Ian Cassette says that a drought-busting rainfall isn't looking likely any time soon meaning the drought will continue to grow for many.
"The long-term forecast isn't looking promising for Maine which means people will need to conserve water and practice fire prevention until conditions improve."
Visit maine.gov/mema for more on drought in Maine or drought.gov for updates on current conditions.