The Vineyard’s wet winter has pushed the Island out of a drought, according to state officials.
Dukes County was seeing drought conditions for several months at the end of 2025, before getting back to normal status in January, according to the state Executive Officer of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
On Wednesday, the state confirmed that the county continues to avoid drought conditions, though the Cape and all of eastern Massachusetts were still in a significant drought.
The Vineyard has received some of the highest snowfall totals in recent years, and saw some melting on Wednesday.
The state advised the rest of the region to stay alert.
“The current drought, which began in 2024, has continued to have significant impacts on the natural environment, including low streamflow, decreasing water levels in lakes and ponds, and declining groundwater in nearly all regions,” the agency said in a statement. “Although local water supplies are currently stable, as the drought continues to persist and with reduced recharge at this time of the year, it is prudent for all to be very conservative and save water whenever possible.”
This article appears in February 20, 2026.