There was little change in the drought conditions across New England this week, even after rain and snow brought a measure of relief to parts of the region, the US Drought Monitor said Thursday.
More than 40 percent of Massachusetts, a swath that runs from northeastern to southwestern Massachusetts, remains in extreme drought, the group said. Twenty-three percent remains in a severe drought, and 34 percent is experiencing moderate drought.
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket were classified as abnormally dry, the only change to the state’s map, according to the National Weather Service.
The US Drought Monitor is a collaboration of university and government officials that has been mapping drought conditions since 1999. This year marked the first time the group has declared an extreme drought in Massachusetts.
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Conditions remained stable throughout New England. The eastern half of Connecticut and a small sliver of New Hampshire remain locked in extreme drought. The rest of the region is experiencing less severe conditions.
Dylan McGuinness can be reached at dylan.mcguinness@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DylMcGuinness.