An abnormally dry summer is giving way to a dry start to autumn in Southern New England. As of this week, nearly 95% of Rhode Island is in an Extreme Drought. The drought is more significant than any in the past 20-plus years in the Ocean State. Part of Connecticut and interior Southeastern Massachusetts are also in the Extreme Drought.
The driest weather in the past few months has been along the coast of Southern New England. New London County Connecticut through Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts has only received 25-50% of the normal rainfall. It has been the driest stretch from late-June to late-September in Hartford on record, and the 7th driest out of 116 years in Providence. Amazingly, you do not have drive very far to find areas that have been very wet during the same stretch. Newark, NJ had the 4th wettest stretch in the past 90 years with over 18 inches of rain during the summer season.
There will not be much rain in the next several days. A few showers are possible on Sunday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Beta pass out to sea south of New England. At this point, it does not look like anything more than hit and miss showers.
A stronger system may develop in the middle of next week and bring beneficial rain to Southern New England. It’s early, but it looks promising for at least some steady rain, and if a wave of low pressure develops along the frontal boundary, then an inch or so of rain is possible. The timing looks like Tuesday-Wednesday. The weather will be relatively warm through the weekend before turning seasonably cool in the middle to end of next week as we head into October.
