Warmer temperatures and altered precipitation in New England and northern New York will interact to change soil moisture patterns throughout the year, with the potential for both wetter and drier conditions depending on the location and season.

Soil moisture is expected to change in response to warmer temperatures and seasonal changes in precipitation. Changes are likely to vary seasonally as well as geographically. More intense and prolonged precipitation events would be expected to create wetter soil conditions, while increased temperatures and less frequent rainfall events would lead to drier soils . Wetter conditions may become for frequent during much of the year, but increased evapotranspiration associated with warmer temperatures and longer rain-free periods between large precipitation events may lead to drier soils during the growing season. Locations where soils and landforms cannot retain the water from intense precipitation events may be more likely to have drier conditions during the growing season.