Drought Information Statement 
for Central Pennsylvania 
Valid November 1, 2024
Issued by: WFO State College
Contact Information: 
This product will be updated November 8, 2024 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/CTP/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/ for regional drought status updates.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persist across much of Somerset County.
The past month has been especially dry across eastern Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania has issued a Drought Warning for Schuylkill County.

U.S. Drought Monitor


Drought Intensity and Extent:

D2 (Severe Drought): Somerset

D1 (Moderate Drought): Cambria, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, York, Lancaster, Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Lycoming, Sullivan

D0: (Abnormally Dry): Warren, Elk, Tioga, Union, Snyder, Juniata, Perry, Cumberland, Adams


Recent Change in Drought Intensity

One Week Drought Monitor Class Change:

Drought Worsened: Tioga, Lycoming, Sullivan, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Schuylkill, Juniata, Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon, York, Lancaster, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Cambria

No Change: Warren, Elk, Somerset, Adams, Cumberland
 

Precipitation and Percent of Normal:
Precipitation over the past 30 days has been below average areawide, and well below average across eastern Pennsylvania.


Temperature Anomalies:
Temperatures have been well above average over the past 7 days, and above average over the past 30 days.


Summary of Impacts:

Hydrologic Impacts:
Some communities across southern Pennsylvania have enacted either voluntary or mandatory water restrictions.

Agricultural Impacts:
Agriculture has largely gone dormant for the season across central Pennsylvania.

Fire Hazard Impacts:
Significant wildfire potential is above average across much of southern and eastern Pennsylvania.

Other Impacts:
There are no known impacts at this time.

Mitigation Actions:
See “Hydrologic Impacts” above.


Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts:
Streamflows across much of western and eastern Pennsylvania are below to much below average, while a strip of counties across the central part of the state remains near average.


Seven Day Precipitation Forecast:
The seven day rainfall forecast remains relatively dry for much of central Pennsylvania, ranging from around half an inch in northwestern Warren County to little if any rainfall in east-central Pennsylvania.


Long-Range Outlooks:
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The monthly outlook for November 2024 calls for above average temperatures and near to below average precipitation.


Drought Outlook:
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought conditions are expected to persist across southwestern and much of eastern Pennsylvania through the month of November 2024.

Climate Prediction Center Monthly Drought Outlook 
Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Drought Outlook