Weather & Science
Drought Gripping the US Northeast, NYC Raises Fears of Autumn Wildfires
Through the end of the year, forecasters have predicted equal odds of drought intensifying or easing up across much of the Northeast.
Photographer: Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer/APWaterways and wells are running dry in parts of New England and trees in New York City are already shedding their leaves as a late-summer drought engulfs the US Northeast, raising the risk of wildfires.
More than 80% of the region is now abnormally dry or in drought, according to a US monitoring service, compared to just 11% this time last September. Some parts of the Northeast have gone weeks without significant rains — akin to conditions less than a year ago that led to a historic outbreak of brush fires that scorched New York City and nearby areas.