Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a drought watch across New York state due to a historic shortage of rainfall.
She also elevated New York City and 15 counties in the mid-Hudson Valley region to a drought warning.
New York’s Four Drought Stages
New York’s state drought classification system has four stages:
- Drought Watch
- Drought Warning
- Drought Emergency
- Drought Disaster
Nassau and Suffolk counties remain in the second stage of Drought Warning.
The governor called on New Yorkers to conserve water over the coming weeks. During a Drought Warning, local authorities also prepare contingencies for a potential Drought Emergency.
New York City has its own classification system of drought stages.
Long Island Drought Conditions Raise Risk of Brushfire
The northeast has gone through a long stretch of little to no rain. Long Island only saw 0.12 inches of rainfall in October, according to the National Weather Service — a record low.
Drought conditions elevate the risk of brushfires. A red flag warning was issued for Saturday in Long Island, with county fire departments reporting 53 brushfires in Nassau since October 25 and 168 in Suffolk.
Some relief, however, could be on the way. Rain is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday across Long Island.