More than two-thirds of Massachusetts is now in a severe drought, the latest U. S. Drought Monitor report showed.
The severe drought area in the Bay State more than doubled for the second consecutive week , rising from 31.86% on Nov. 5 to 67.66% as of Nov. 12. Just 13.61% of the state was in a severe drought on Oct. 29.
The bone-dry conditions stretch from the North Shore to Boston to central and western Massachusetts, while much of southeastern Massachusetts is now considered “abnormally dry.”
In her latest weather forecast, Boston 25 Meteorologist Shiri Spear said there’s little to no rain in sight.
The latest Drought Monitor update comes after Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday urged residents to conserve water whenever possible and avoid burning anything outdoors amid an “unprecedented” wildfire season .
Healey said residents can conserve water by running their dishwashers frequently, running their washing machines at full capacity, taking shorter showers, and fixing plumbing leaks immediately.