Below-average rainfall and a lack of snowfall this winter is keeping Washington County and the surrounding region in the Severe Drought classification, according to the United States Drought Monitor. 
Officials with the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin are watching streamflow and groundwater levels, in addition to drought reporting, to plan water resources for the Washington, D.C. metro area.
“Forecasters with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center warn that drought persistence is likely through the late winter and early spring, as the outlook shows no strong signal for widespread heavy precipitation in the Mid-Atlantic. Climatologists note that any recovery will be gradual, and areas with long-term moisture deficits may continue to see dry conditions linger well into the spring months,” reported Delmarva Channel 13, in looking at the most recent drought maps including Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia.
The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on January 15 shared their U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook for developments through April 30, 2026. Their map-based outlook shows drought persisting along the eastern seaboard, with some improvements expected to the west of the Shenandoah and Cumberland valleys during the winter.
Heavy snowfall that melts gradually can recharge groundwater supplies.
