Drought Information Statement 
for Central Pennsylvania 
Valid December 20, 2024
Issued by: WFO State College
Contact Information: 
This product will be updated December 30, 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.

Recent precipitation has resulted in continued slow improvement for parts of Central Pennsylvania.

A Drought Warning continues for Schuylkill County.


U.S. Drought Monitor:

Drought Intensity and Extent:
D2 (Severe Drought): York, Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Columbia, Northumberland
D1 (Moderate Drought): Fulton, Franklin, Adams, Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union, Montour, Lycoming, Sullivan
D0 (Abnormally Dry): Somerset, Cambria, Bedford, Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Elk, Blair, Centre, Clinton, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata


One Week Drought Monitor Class Change:
Continued improvement has been observed across portions of northern and western Pennsylvania.
 

Precipitation and Percent of Normal:
Precipitation over the past 30 days has trended above average statewide, and well-above average in a swath from southwestern Pennsylvania to northeastern Pennsylvania.


Temperature Anomalies:
Temperastures have been near to slightly above average over the last 7 days, while 30-day temperatures anomalies continue to run slightly below average statewide.


Summary of Impacts:

Hydrologic Impacts:
Several communities, primarily across southern Pennsylvania, continue to enact either voluntary or mandatory water restrictions.

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

Fire Hazard Impacts:
The Significant WIldfire Potential shows little or no risk across Pennsylvania.

Other Impacts:
There are no burn bans in effect for any counties in Central Pennsylvania.

Mitigation Actions:
See “Hydrologic Impacts” above.


Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts:
Streamflows are now running near to above average for all of Central Pennsylvania outside of the far Lower Susquehanna Valley.


Seven Day Precipitation Forecast:
Liquid equivalent precipitation over the next 7 days is expected to range from 0.10-0.25” across northern and western Pennsylvania to less than 0.10” elsewhere.

Long-Range Outlooks:
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage.
The monthly outlook for December 2024 calls for below average temperatures and precipitation ranging from slightly above average across northwestern Pennsylvania to slightly below average across southeastern Pennsylvania.


Drought Outlook:
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage.
Through the month of December 2024, drought conditions are expected to continue to improve across southwestern Pennsylvania, while likely persisting across eastern Pennsylvania.