The latest map released by the US Drought Monitor expanded the area within the state suffering an "extreme drought" to nearly a quarter of Massachusetts, from the entire northeastern portion of the state south into Plymouth and Bristol counties.

The extreme drought area, the most severe designation to be declared in Massachusetts since the government-academic collaboration began mapping drought conditions in 1999, covers 22.67 percent of the state, the map shows.

Most of the rest of the state is suffering a "severe drought," according to the map. The severe drought area was expanded onto Cape Cod, where only moderate drought had been reported previously.