Although precipitation amounts have been for the most part adequate enough so that the soil has not completely dried out, two other factors make the low rainfall amounts potentially threatening. The first is the unseasonably warm temperatures that have characterized the last few months, while the second is the very low humidities that have accompanied these high temperatures. The combination of these two factors creates a high evaporative demand by the atmosphere, which in turn encourages evaporation from the soil and from plants. According to the stage of plant growth, this type of moisture stress may be detrimental to plants. Other sectors of the economy that may be at risk include those that depend on surface water, groundwater or reservoir supplies, for example hydroelectric generating companies.
Water levels are traditionally low during the cool season of the year.
Recharge of the water table needs to continue in order to circumvent socioeconomic losses that may accompany hydrologic deficits. The severity of the ongoing drought in Vermont has not reached the proportions that were observed during the drought of 1995 when both the health of the forests around the state as well as the quality of our freshwater were threatened. The occurrence of drought is difficult to detect and many definitions exist to describe the various ways in which it can be categorized and examined. Two key issues should be remembered. When these precipitation shortages affect the soil moisture available for plants, especially those of economic importance, this is termed agricultural drought.