Drought conditions have rapidly accelerated in Maine over the last couple of weeks, according to new data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Supervisor scientist Nick Stasulis says the hot weather combined with lack of rain has created what's known as a flash drought.
"It happened pretty quickly. You know, just a couple months ago, remember, we were getting rain every single Saturday, and everybody was complaining about how wet it was. Now we're talking about how dry it is."
Last week, 35% of the state was reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor as "Abnormally Dry." Now, more than 75% of the state is experiencing drought conditions.
Groundwater levels for residential wells should be stable, Stasulis says — but farmers are likely seeing low retention pond levels, and lakes, rivers and streams are running low.
But, Stasulis says, it's not likely to be resolved quickly.
"If we were to get one big rainstorm today, you know, a big thunderstorm that drops several inches of rain, that might make the immediate impact better on your lawn, but it's not going to improve the overall drought condition that we're in," he says.
That's because, during a drought, the ground hardens up, to the point where it can't easily absorb the rainwater. Stasulis said it will take several more rainstorms to soften up the soil.