Is Franklin County in a drought?

• D0 Abnormally dry
• D1 Moderate drought
• D2 Severe drought
• D3 Extreme drought
• D4 Exceptional drought

• D0 Abnormally dry
• D1 Moderate drought
• D2 Severe drought
• D3 Extreme drought
• D4 Exceptional drought

Weeks with some drought

263 of 1,396 (19%)

Worst category reached

D3 Extreme drought, last the week of Nov 11, 2025

Most widespread

100% in drought, week of Sep 29, 2026

Longest spell

52 weeks, Jun 8, 2021 to May 31, 2022

Current spell

5 weeks, since Sep 1, 2026

Monthly outlook, Oct 2026

Drought removal likely

Seasonal outlook, through December 31 (issued Sep 30)

Drought removal likely

The monthly outlook is issued on the last day of each month, the seasonal one on the third Thursday. CPC's discussion.

Drawn from the Drought Impact Reporter and local observers.

The Drought Monitor does not issue burn bans or water restrictions. Franklin County's officials, the state forestry or fire agency, and local water utilities set them, often once drought reaches D2 or dry fuels raise the fire danger. Check the county's emergency management office or fire marshal for a ban in force, and the alerts page for red flag warnings and fire weather watches.

The northeastern states experienced seasonable temperatures within a few degrees of normal for this time of year. The main noteworthy weather feature was the Nor’easter that produced beneficial rainfall up to several inches along the New England coast, southward into New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Drought improved in these areas but concerns over slowly-recovering groundwater and well levels prompted a retention of abnormal dryness and/or moderate drought levels in most coastal locations that have experienced long-term drought this past year. Drought persists in most of Maine, as very little rain from the Nor’easter reached the drought-stricken state.

Looking ahead

Ongoing substantial rain was falling Tuesday morning at the onset of the new U.S. Drought Monitor week, from Arizona and New Mexico into the Central and High Plains. This excessive rainy system connected to Hurricane Polo is projected to continue eastward this week into the High Plains, Midwest, and South regions. The Weather Prediction Center has moderate threats for excessive rainfall from the Southwest into Texas, Oklahoma, northward into Nebraska and Iowa. Drought-busting rains may be possible across the South as this weather system evolves this week. Looking into the next week, the Climate Prediction Center’s 6–10-day outlook indicates that well-above average temperatures will shift into the western states, along with below normal precipitation chances. Meanwhile, above average precipitation chances are projected from southern Texas into the southeastern states, including Florida. Above average precipitation chances are also projected for southeastern Alaska, with near neutral rainfall forecasts for Hawaii.

Written by Denise Gutzmer, National Drought Mitigation Center; Jonathan Case, NASA/MSFC, UAH. The national narrative.

D0 Abnormally dry

Going into or coming out of drought.

D1 Moderate drought

Some damage to crops and pastures; water shortages developing.

D2 Severe drought

Crop or pasture losses likely; water restrictions imposed.

D3 Extreme drought

Major crop and pasture losses; widespread water shortages.

D4 Exceptional drought

Exceptional and widespread losses; water emergencies.

The US Drought Monitor is drawn every week by authors at the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA and NOAA, who weigh rainfall, soil moisture, streamflow, groundwater, vegetation health and reports from local observers. Each map shows conditions through Tuesday morning and is released on Thursday. It shows where drought is and how bad it is; it does not forecast it. CPC's outlooks do that.

• Androscoggin CountyD2 Severe drought
• Kennebec CountyD3 Extreme drought
• Oxford CountyD2 Severe drought
• Somerset CountyD2 Severe drought

Statistics and narrative from the US Drought Monitor, courtesy of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with USDA and NOAA. Outlooks from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Impacts from NDMC's State Impacts tool.