Washington and Baltimore Face Historic Drought as May 2026 Closes With a 12-Inch Deficit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The rain finally arrived in Washington and Baltimore during the final stretch of May 2026. But after 10 months of relentless dryness, one late-month surge could not close a deficit that has been building since summer 2025.

Washington, D.C. closed May at 65.8°F, running 1.4°F below the 1991-2020 normal. A dramatic mid-month spike pushed temperatures to 97°F on May 19, a record high for that early in the season. Then 10 consecutive days of rainfall closed the month out. Despite that stretch, Washington recorded only 2.85 inches for May, running 1.09 inches below average.

At Dulles International Airport, rainfall finished at 4.60 inches against a normal of 4.72 inches. Baltimore ended a nine-month below-normal precipitation streak with 4.39 inches, about half an inch above its monthly average.

The Deficit That One Month Cannot Fix

Current analysis of observed data at Baltimore/BWI shows just 32.60 inches of precipitation recorded from June 2025 through May 2026. Normal for that period runs near 45 inches. That leaves a 12.40-inch deficit, with Baltimore at only 72% of normal moisture over the past year.

10 of the last 12 months came in below normal at BWI. The longest dry streak ran 9 consecutive months from August 2025 through April 2026. May’s surplus of +0.54 inches started a new wet streak, but one month barely moves the needle against a hole this deep. For Washington, the year is running more than 4 inches below normal through May 31.

Regional Impact

Washington D.C. / Baltimore, MD – 12.40-inch 12-month deficit. Drought recovery slow and ongoing.

Virginia / Delaware – Moderate deficits persist. Partial relief from May rain but long-term shortfall remains.

Pennsylvania / New Jersey – Less impacted. Near-normal May conditions with some late-month rain benefit.

Forecast Confidence

Confidence in this data is HIGH. These are finalized observed records through May 31, 2026. Confidence in rapid drought recovery heading into June is LOW to MODERATE. Closing a deficit this size requires sustained above-normal rainfall over several months.

More weather coverage is always on the horizon. Stay informed at ChicagoMusicGuide.com – your source for mid-Atlantic weather coverage and breaking climate data across the entire United States.