Authorities say much of the Northeast is experiencing drought conditions, with sections of New York and Massachusetts among the driest.
The U.S. Drought Monitor said Thursday that western New York, the state's Finger Lakes region, as well as much of central and northeastern Massachusetts are experiencing severe drought conditions. Severe conditions extend into southern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officials put the entire state under drought watch Friday, citing below normal precipitation over the last 9 months, low stream flows, and reduced groundwater levels as prompting the need for such action.