Drought Means Rough Year for Pumpkins and Christmas Trees

The ongoing drought in the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic is putting a strain on holiday revelry this year, with empty pumpkin patches expected to give way to doomed Christmas trees. Here is a look at how the drought could impact the holiday experience for residents in this part of the country.

Increasingly Dry Conditions Resulting in Poor Pumpkin Crop Yields

It has been an exceptionally dry few months for much of the eastern U.S. How dry has it been? Vermont is currently registering its worst drought conditions since the U.S. Drought Monitor began its tracking in 2000. The Great Lakes region has also been historically dry. For example, Chicago recorded just 15% of its typical rainfall amounts in September.

The lack of moisture, going back to the end of the summer, has resulted in an expansion of the drought for much of the eastern half of the country. While some areas to the south have seen plenty of moisture, it has been a different story for the swath of land to the north of Washington, D.C. For example, the recent impacts of Hurricane Imelda sent a plume of moisture over Florida, the Southeast, and the mid-Atlantic while leaving the Northeast and New England high and dry.