BOSTON (AP) — A small section of northeastern Massachusetts is now considered to be in extreme drought, the first time any part of Northeast region has been classified that way during the current dry spell.
Extreme drought is the fourth highest of the five classifications from the U.S. Drought Monitor and means major crop losses are possible along with widespread water shortages or restrictions.
The area in extreme drought in the weekly report released Thursday represents less than 4 percent of the state. The readings were taken before Wednesday’s rain.
About 60 percent of the Northeast was under some sort of drought condition. The region includes New England, the Middle Atlantic states, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia.
The monitor is a collaboration of federal agencies and the University of Nebraska’s National Drought Mitigation Center.
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