December was another month in an unending string of drier than normal months.  Precipitation ranged from 1.33 inches at Long Falls Dam (1.71 inches below normal) up to 3.89 inches at West Rockport (1.09 inches below normal). The Palmer Drought Severity Index was in the extreme category at the end of the month.  Voluntary water restrictions continued in December in several towns while mandatory restrictions were still in place in Boothbay Harbor.  Wells, mostly dug, were going dry at an alarming rate.  Over 700 wells had been reported to the state as going dry.  Well drillers were reporting brisk business with backlogs into March.  Six ground water monitoring wells reached record low levels for December, with two of these reaching new all time record lows. The water level of Sebago Lake dropped to 24 percent below normal while reservoirs in the Kennebec and Androscoggin River basins were 30 percent and 17 percent below normal, respectively. Precipitation for the year was 19.66 inches below normal at Belfast, 18.20 inches below normal at Kingfield, 17.07 inches below normal at West Rockport, 15.93 inches below normal at Albion and Moosehead Lake, 15.59 inches below normal at Augusta, 15.27 inches below normal at Harmony, 15.15 inches below normal at Bingham, and 15.04 inches below normal at Waterville

Drought in ANDROSCOGGIN, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in KENNEBEC, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in KNOX, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in LINCOLN, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SAGADAHOC, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SOUTHERN FRANKLIN, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in COASTAL WALDO, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in COASTAL YORK, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in NORTHERN FRANKLIN, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in NORTHERN OXFORD, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SOUTHERN SOMERSET, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SOUTHERN OXFORD, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in CENTRAL SOMERSET, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in INTERIOR CUMBERLAND, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in COASTAL CUMBERLAND, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in INTERIOR WALDO, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in INTERIOR YORK, MAINE
From 01-DEC-01 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-01 23:59:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.