| Brisk temperatures and snowy days have made it seem like a rough winter, even though it technically wasn’t winter yet. The first day of winter in the northern hemisphere is marked by the winter solstice which is Dec. 21. This year the month of November appeared a little more wintry than other years. For Franklin, November wrapped up with below normal temperatures and above average snowfall. The normal high temperature was 49 degrees. This year’s average high was 47.3 degrees, according to National Weather Service data. The average low temperature for 2025 at 31.2 degrees wasn’t that far off from the normal average low of 31.7 degrees. The highest temperature was 62 degrees on Nov. 16 and the lowest was 24 degrees on Nov. 11. This November’s snow totals were high even though the precipitation levels were below normal. The total snowfall for November 2025 was 6.5 inches which was above the normal of 2.6 inches, according to National Weather Service data. However, Franklin ended November with a total precipitation of 2.42 inches which was lower than the average of 3.41 inches. |   |
These statistics were enhanced by information from Drought.gov. The site said that this November was the 26th driest November for Venango County on record since 1895. Their data stated that this November’s total was 2.06 inches which was a decrease of 1.12 inches from normal.
The U.S. Drought monitor report released Dec. 18 depicted the northern half of Venango County in moderate drought with the southern half listed as abnormally dry.
Meanwhile, back in October, the Pennsylvania Drought Task Force announced that Beaver, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Schuylkill, Somerset, Tioga, Venango, Warren, and Washington counties were under a Drought Watch.
The U.S. Drought monitor report released Dec. 18 depicted the northern half of Venango County in moderate drought with the southern half listed as abnormally dry.
Meanwhile, back in October, the Pennsylvania Drought Task Force announced that Beaver, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Schuylkill, Somerset, Tioga, Venango, Warren, and Washington counties were under a Drought Watch.
“The DEP makes drought declarations based on long-term trends. …, “said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley in the October news release.
In fact, NOAA and the National Weather Service’s winter outlook for 2025-2026 included a graphic that depicted that the drought would persist in our region through January 2026.
However, the National Integrated Drought Information System posted a graphic on Facebook on Dec. 18 of a three-month drought outlook. The map forecasted an end to the moderate drought in our region through March 31, 2026.
In fact, NOAA and the National Weather Service’s winter outlook for 2025-2026 included a graphic that depicted that the drought would persist in our region through January 2026.
However, the National Integrated Drought Information System posted a graphic on Facebook on Dec. 18 of a three-month drought outlook. The map forecasted an end to the moderate drought in our region through March 31, 2026.
The year-to-date precipitation from Jan. 1 to Dec. 20, was 40.46 inches which was below the normal average of 45.13 inches, according to National Weather Service data for Franklin.
Franklin received a little boost with .67 inches of rain on Dec. 19. Area waterways got a rise out of the rain and snowmelt.
Oil Creek at Rouseville jumped from 3.03 feet to over 6 feet on Dec. 19, according to the USGS’ water level chart at waterdata.usgs.gov. The creek crested a couple of times on Dec. 19 at 6.25 feet and 6.15 feet, before starting to recede Dec. 20.
The Allegheny River at Franklin rose from 4.29 feet to 7.05 feet on Dec. 19. The river crested at 8.14 feet early Dec. 20 before the levels started to fall.
Franklin received a little boost with .67 inches of rain on Dec. 19. Area waterways got a rise out of the rain and snowmelt.
Oil Creek at Rouseville jumped from 3.03 feet to over 6 feet on Dec. 19, according to the USGS’ water level chart at waterdata.usgs.gov. The creek crested a couple of times on Dec. 19 at 6.25 feet and 6.15 feet, before starting to recede Dec. 20.
The Allegheny River at Franklin rose from 4.29 feet to 7.05 feet on Dec. 19. The river crested at 8.14 feet early Dec. 20 before the levels started to fall.
Like November, December so far has been snowy and cold. Franklin received 3.5 inches of snow on Dec. 2, according to weather service data reported by a station at the Venango Regional Airport. According to the station, Franklin had 10.8 inches of snow up to Dec. 16. The normal total for this point was listed as 5.5 inches.
On Dec. 9, the low for Franklin was recorded at 4 degrees. This was the lowest temperature recorded for Franklin for 100 years, according to the data. However, going back to Dec. 9, 1917, the low was -6 degrees.
Franklin bottomed out at 5 degrees on Dec. 5 and Dec. 16. None of these appeared to be records for their respective dates. A low of 0 was recorded on Dec. 5, 1966. A low of -7 degrees was reported on Dec. 16, 1904.
On Dec. 9, the low for Franklin was recorded at 4 degrees. This was the lowest temperature recorded for Franklin for 100 years, according to the data. However, going back to Dec. 9, 1917, the low was -6 degrees.
Franklin bottomed out at 5 degrees on Dec. 5 and Dec. 16. None of these appeared to be records for their respective dates. A low of 0 was recorded on Dec. 5, 1966. A low of -7 degrees was reported on Dec. 16, 1904.
| However, a high of 54 was recorded on Dec. 19 for Franklin. This was a sign of a coming change. Several Facebook posts said that a turn in the weather was coming. Chances of a white Christmas were dwindling despite the current snowy situation. “A large area of the US is expected to see warmer-than-average temperatures for the rest of December … The exception is the far northern tier, which could see thermometers hover right around or just below the norm for this time of year,” said a post by meteorologist Chris Dolce on erienewsnow.com. “Some of the snow on the ground in the Midwest and Northeast will melt away because of the milder temperatures. Rainfall will also play a role, especially from a storm system that will bring downpours as far north as Michigan and Maine late this week,” Dolce reported last week. WPXI’s meteorologist Scott Harbaugh posted about the chances of a white Christmas on Facebook on Dec. 16. |   |
“Here's my call.... No White Christmas this year. Despite nearly 10 inches of snow this month, high temperatures will be mostly in the 40s for the week leading up to Christmas. We'll see more rain chances December 18-25 than snow chances,” Harbaugh posted.
“It seems our period of below normal temperatures will come to an end by Dec. 20 as the pattern shifts to a warmer pattern. Thus, above normal temperatures are expected through Christmas. This will mean rainfall events will be more likely than snow through this period,” the National Weather Service Office in Pittsburgh posted Dec. 15 on its Facebook page.
A post by weather.com’s senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman, claimed that a “white Christmas is likely only for the usual spots in the northern tier of the country and mountain West, with warming temperatures expected to eat away the impressive December snowpack in parts of the Midwest and Northeast.”
Erdman said, “… a general warming trend is kicking off in much of the country that will last into Christmas week. That includes the snow-covered, recently chilly Midwest and Northeast.”
Erdman said, “… a general warming trend is kicking off in much of the country that will last into Christmas week. That includes the snow-covered, recently chilly Midwest and Northeast.”
A post by PA Weather Plus said a white Christmas was possible, but not imminent for Venango County.
A graphic stated that snow was “Very unlikely, but not *completely* ruled out. I am watching for a potential northwest-to-southeast sliding system that could bring accumulating snow sometime between Dec. 23 and 25.
If this occurs before Christmas and it is cold enough; the White Christmas chance will increase. If the storm system does not happen or it tracks too far north and brings rain instead of snow, a White Christmas will not occur. This region has a 15 to 20 percent probability of a White Christmas, so a Christmas miracle is needed” the post said.
A graphic stated that snow was “Very unlikely, but not *completely* ruled out. I am watching for a potential northwest-to-southeast sliding system that could bring accumulating snow sometime between Dec. 23 and 25.
If this occurs before Christmas and it is cold enough; the White Christmas chance will increase. If the storm system does not happen or it tracks too far north and brings rain instead of snow, a White Christmas will not occur. This region has a 15 to 20 percent probability of a White Christmas, so a Christmas miracle is needed” the post said.
White Christmas or not, the first day of winter is Sunday, Dec. 21. It is the shortest day of the year and signifies the start of the winter season. However, meteorological winter began on Dec. 1.
Finally, the days will start to get longer. As of Dec. 14, the sun set at 4:52 p.m. By Dec. 25, the sunsets would be three minutes shy of 5 p.m. The sunsets began slowly getting a little later, but the sun wasn’t arriving as early in the morning.
Finally, the days will start to get longer. As of Dec. 14, the sun set at 4:52 p.m. By Dec. 25, the sunsets would be three minutes shy of 5 p.m. The sunsets began slowly getting a little later, but the sun wasn’t arriving as early in the morning.
For example, the sun rose at 7:34 a.m. Dec. 14, but by Christmas the sun won’t rise until 7:40 a.m.
Rain or snow, cold or warm, only Mother Nature knows and the rest of us will just have to deal with it. That’s the nature of things round’ here.
Rain or snow, cold or warm, only Mother Nature knows and the rest of us will just have to deal with it. That’s the nature of things round’ here.
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