Drought predicted to linger into spring, officials say

MAINE PUBLIC • December 19, 2025

The latest report from the U.S. Drought monitor shows that 100% of the state is still in moderate, severe or extreme drought conditions. At the final Maine Drought Task Force meeting of the year on Friday, state officials, stakeholders and researchers reported mixed updates. Even if Maine gets a lot of snow this winter, officials say an above average snowpack still won't move the needle. "Wintertime rains aren't always beneficial for groundwater conditions, especially because we can't guarantee that that water is going to make its way down into the aquifer if the ground's frozen," said Nick Stasulis of the U.S. Geological Survey.