Everything in moderation, except drought

Most of Pennsylvania is in a moderate drought, according to a map released June 8 by the U.S. Drought Monitor site.

The moderate drought label was updated from abnormally dry in a map released at the end of May.

​The drought’s effects were listed as “SL” which means there are short and long-term impacts. I suspected that the long-term impacts could be in the agricultural industry where the growing season may be affected.

The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh had various posts on its Facebook page about the dry weather.
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“You have probably noticed it’s been rather dry …. But in the context of where we rank to this point in the year historically, it’s getting pretty dry. If we look back to the beginning of the year, January through March, precipitation levels remained very close to normal. However, from the beginning of April until now, we have seen a steady drop-off of precipitation. Some interesting stats appear when we take a closer look at where we stand historically, into late May. This is the driest it has been this far into the year since 2013,” the office said in a post earlier last week.

​A quick look at weather stats for Franklin from 1991 through 2020 years found the same pattern with May 2013 being the driest.

In 2013, Franklin received 1.97 inches of rain in May. This year’s rainfall in May was only slightly higher than that total with two inches of rain measured.

According to a chart on weather.gov, the normal precipitation for May is four inches. Last year’s rainfall was 5.27 inches.

So, it was no wonder that this May appeared to be very dry.
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In 2017, the highest total precipitation for May was reported as 6.91 inches of rain.

On a side note, I found it interesting that April is not Franklin’s wettest month. According to a table at weather.gov, July is the wettest month with an average of 5.32 inches of rainfall.

​The average rainfall for the year is 46.33 inches.

 Meanwhile, area rivers, lakes, streams and ponds were showing signs of the lack of water.

A map on the United States Geological Survey site reported low levels in area waterways.
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USGS river gauges marked French creek at Utica, Oil Creek at Rouseville, Allegheny River at West Hickory and the Allegheny River at Franklin sported red dots indicating low water.

​In fact, most of the state was spotted with red dots on several water level gauges. 

Meanwhile, area rivers, lakes, streams and ponds were showing signs of the lack of water.

A map on the United States Geological Survey site reported low levels in area waterways.

USGS river gauges marked French creek at Utica, Oil Creek at Rouseville, Allegheny River at West Hickory and the Allegheny River at Franklin sported red dots indicating low water. In fact, most of the state was spotted with red dots on several water level gauges. 
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“A lot of the streams are below or much below average. A few of the circles are red, which means they are close if not exceeded the lowest stage since records began,” said a Facebook post from the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh.
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A check of the gauge for Franklin on June 5 showed the river at 3.40 feet.

However, by June 11 the Allegheny had dropped below 2.90 feet.

​After some rain on Monday the river level inched up to 2.96 feet and could possibly crest later in the week at 3.2 feet.

​A comparison of the river levels from last year showed the level was 4.23 feet on June 5, 2022.

​Then after a spike in levels on June 9, 2023, the river leveled off to 4.57 feet by June 11, 2022.

​It was no wonder that the river was low when the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh reported a 21-day stretch without rain.

“This would go down as the ninth longest string of days without measurable precipitation in Pittsburgh history,” the post said.
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That statement was true of Franklin as well. Weather stats showed that there were 21 days without measurable precipitation this year with a trace being recorded at the weather station at the Franklin Airport on June 3.

​Stats on www.drought.gov stated that this may was the eighth driest May on record over the past 129 years.
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A graphic on the weather service’s Facebook page, showed that Sunday through Monday forecasted at least 1 to 1.5 inches of rain for Venango County.

​However, a quick check of the airport weather station on Monday only showed a total of .47 inches for the day. The weather service additionally predicted more rain for Tuesday evening. A graphic put Franklin in line to possibly receive .46 to .95 inches of rain. ​

​Hopefully the weather system that was forecast to bring rain to our region will also bring relief for the wildfire-stricken parts of Canada.

The smoke from the raging fires prompted several air quality alerts across the state last week. The region was lucky compared to Pittsburgh, Philly and other parts of the state where Facebook posts showed photos reminiscent of a red Martian landscape.
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The dry weather additionally elicited a few special weather statements in the past weeks about burning and the possibility of wildfires. Gusty winds and low humidity were unfortunately the perfect combination for the threat of fire.

​As I sat there Sunday night waiting for the rain, I watched the radar with dismay as some of it went around my location. However, it did seem like it was headed toward Canada where there was no doubt that the rain was needed the most.

​That’s just the nature of things ’round here.