Despite late-October rain, extreme drought has expanded across southern and coastal Maine, now covering nearly 43% of the state, including Portland. The National Weather Service says another foot of precipitation is needed before soils freeze to substantially ease conditions.

Prolonged drought has driven Mackenzie River levels near Fort Simpson, N.W.T., to historic lows, turning a community boat launch into a sandbar and making fall hunting by river hazardous. A territorial hydrologist cites climate change, El Niño, and upstream dams as contributors, while local leaders urge stronger action and monitoring.

A homesteader near Mobile on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula is hauling water from a pond as extreme drought leaves his well near empty. He’s seeing impacts on livestock and bees, and calls for government support to build community resilience.

Low river levels on Vancouver Island are delaying pink salmon migration in the Tsolum River and Millard Creek, leading to stranded fish and an estimated 4,000 mortalities. Salmon groups say sustained fall rains are needed; limited Wolf Lake releases are temporarily boosting Tsolum flows.

More than 5% of Maine is now in extreme drought and about 58% in severe drought, covering all of southern and coastal areas. Forecasters expect little to no rain through early next week, with potential showers later but uncertainty about meaningful relief.

A provincewide drought in Nova Scotia has dried up brooks and streams, stranding trout and white suckers and stressing native fish, while a woods ban limits access to assess impacts. Warmer water favors invasive chain pickerel, and restoration work is paused; Atlantic salmon migration is also being blocked by low flows.

The Chinook salmon run in the Napanee River is being impacted by unusually low water levels.

Low groundwater levels from spring rainfall deficits have left many wells on the Varaslätten plain in southern Sweden dry, prompting water shortage warnings in 14 counties and overwhelming local well drillers.

Worsening drought in southern Russia’s Rostov and Krasnodar regions could wipe out up to 25% of key grain and oilseed crops, prompting states of emergency in 30 districts.

Water levels across Newfoundland are at record lows due to an ongoing drought and rising temperatures driven by climate change, leading to river closures and drying wells.

Authorities in Russia’s Tyva Republic declared a state of emergency after eight wildfires grew to over 324 hectares, banning public entry to forests.

Tourists on Gotland are adapting to a historic water shortage by bathing in the sea and limiting shower time after Region Gotland warns groundwater levels have fallen to record lows.

Prolonged drought in July dried up small ponds that mosquito larvae depend on, leading to an almost mosquito-free summer in Flisa and other parts of Norway.

Whitehorse recorded its lowest June precipitation since records began in 1941, leading to extremely dry conditions but stopping short of an official drought.

Strong winds and dry weather are fueling rapidly spreading wildfires across Russia’s Zabaikalsky region, with over 456,000 hectares burning and firefighters racing to protect populated areas.

Faced with unusually mild conditions and a snow-poor season, Skistar has activated its snow guarantee, offering full refunds for bookings at Sälen, Trysil, and Vemdalen ski resorts this week.

Forest fires have swept across Russia’s Siberian and Far East regions, signaling a harsh 2025 wildfire season with over 52 active blazes, widespread damage, and critical resource shortages.

The classic long-distance ski race 7-mila has been cancelled due to a lack of snow for the first time since 2014, affecting over 130 registered participants and causing financial concerns for the organizers.

The National Weather Service says the city has had no snow at this point in the season only twice before. On average, that doesn’t usually happen until halfway through April. Last year, which turned out to be the second snowiest on record, more than 2 feet blanketed the ground on March 3.

Anchorage has experienced its lowest snowfall from December to mid-February since records began in 1953, with only 4.3 inches, leading to significant changes in winter events like the Iditarod and Fur Rondy due to unseasonably warm, windy weather.