Drought in New Hampshire, December 1 to 31, 2025

Name: Drought in New Hampshire, December 1 to 31, 2025
Start: 2025-12-01T00:00
End: 2025-12-31T23:59
Location: New Hampshire

December 1 to 31, 2025 · NWS GYX · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 15

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GYX wrote it up.

December 2025 saw the state's hydrological recovery stalled by below-normal precipitation and the seasonal ground freeze. As winter took hold and frozen ground effectively halted any potential for significant groundwater recharge. Seasonal snowfall provided a surface-level coating across the state, the moisture content of the snowpack remained below normal, outside of the White Mountains and insufficient to offset the substantial long-term deficits carried over from the summer and autumn. Hydrological recovery remained at a standstill, with streamflows below normal. While surface soil moisture had seen modest gains in November, the lack of substantial December rain meant that groundwater levels remained much-below normal for the month.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 30, 11:41 PM EST, 19 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Belknap

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Belknap forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.519, -71.423 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Belknap County averaged 1.85 inches of precipitation in December, which is approximately 2.1 inches below normal. The rainfall deficits since July grew to over 9 inches, maintaining its status as the 2nd driest July December stretch on record. Lake Winnipesaukee hit below normal levels in December, forcing further restrictions on downstream flows into the Winnipesaukee River. The USDM on December 30th showed 100% of the county in Severe Drought (D2), with 12% in the southern sector entering Extreme Drought (D3).

Drought, Cheshire

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cheshire forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 42.919, -72.251 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cheshire County averaged 1.98 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 1.6 inches below normal. The July December stretch was the 4th driest on record. While the month began with improvements, the lack of rain caused conditions to slip back, with the USDM on December 30th placing 85% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1) and 15% in Abnormally Dry (D0).

Drought, Coastal Rockingham

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Coastal Rockingham forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 42.985, -71.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rockingham County averaged 1.78 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 2.3 inches below normal. The July December stretch was the 5th driest on record. Level 2 water restrictions in Exeter remained in place as reservoir levels failed to recover. The USDM on December 30th had 55% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 45% in Moderate Drought (D1).

Drought, Interior Rockingham

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Interior Rockingham forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 42.985, -71.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Eastern Hillsborough

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hillsborough forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 42.915, -71.716 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hillsborough County averaged 1.82 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 2.2 inches below normal. This was the 6th driest July December stretch on record. Rural towns like Mason and Dunbarton saw a second wave of dry well reports as the winter freeze set in. The USDM on December 30th had 65% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1) and 35% in Severe Drought (D2).

Drought, Western and Central Hillsborough

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Western and Central Hillsborough forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 42.915, -71.716 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Merrimack

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Merrimack forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.298, -71.680 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Merrimack County averaged 1.95 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 2.0 inches below normal, making it the 3rd driest July December on record. Private well failures in Bow and Dunbarton escalated, with one local driller reporting over 25 calls daily in mid-December. The USDM on December 30th showed 72% of the county in Severe Drought (D2) and 28% in Moderate Drought (D1).

Drought, Northern Carroll

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northern Carroll forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.874, -71.203 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Carroll County averaged 2.15 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 1.8 inches below normal. The cumulative deficit since summer grew to nearly 9 inches, marking the 2nd driest such period since 1922. Groundwater levels in the town of Conway reached historic lows for December, leading to a 15% increase in dry well reports compared to November. The USDM on December 30th had 100% of the county in Severe Drought (D2).

Drought, Southern Carroll

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southern Carroll forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.874, -71.203 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northern Coos

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northern Coos forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 44.690, -71.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coos County averaged 2.45 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 0.7 inches below normal. Snowfall in the White Mountains expanded to near normal depths, but deep groundwater sources saw minimal to no recharge. The USDM on December 30th had 88% of the county in Severe Drought (D2). Demand for replacement wells in the region remained high, with drillers reporting a four-month backlog.

Drought, Southern Coos

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southern Coos forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 44.690, -71.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northern Grafton

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northern Grafton forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.941, -71.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Grafton County averaged 2.10 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 1.2 inches below normal. Record-low inflows continued for Newfound and Squam Lakes. The USDM on December 30th had 91% of the county in Severe Drought (D2). The SBA continued to process disaster loans for local tourism businesses impacted by the low water levels and diminished snowmaking capacity.

Drought, Southern Grafton

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southern Grafton forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.941, -71.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Strafford

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Strafford forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.297, -71.029 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strafford County averaged 1.92 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 2.1 inches below normal. The July December stretch was the 6th driest on record. Livestock producers in the county reported exhausting their winter hay reserves by late December due to the lack of autumn forage. The USDM on December 30th had 95% of the county in Severe Drought (D2).

Drought, Sullivan

When: December 1, 12:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Sullivan forecast zone
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 43.361, -72.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sullivan County averaged 2.02 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 1.4 inches below normal. Lake Sunapee remained at near-record winter lows, and the Sugar River saw flows drop to the 8th percentile. The USDM on December 30th had 52% of the county in Moderate Drought (D1) and 48% in Severe Drought (D2).

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Hampshire in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in New Hampshire, December 2025

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1301963, 1301964, 1301965, 1301966, 1301967, 1301968, 1301970, 1301971, 1301972, 1301973, 1301974, 1301975, 1301976, 1301978, 1301980.