Current weather · Sep 30, 6:50 PM EDT

40.3450, -76.8690

75°

Mostly CloudyFeels like 75° · Humidity 64%NWS forecast for this hour; no recent station reportForecast by NWS State College, PA · grid 106,41
High
77°
Low
61°
Rain today
0%
Sunrise
7:03 AM
Sunset
6:51 PM

Hour by hour

NWS forecast grid

Scroll sideways for more hours. Pick an hour for every number.

Every hour as a table48 hours
TimeWeatherTemperatureFeels likeDew pointHumidityChanceAmountSnowDirWindGustSky coverThunderPressureVisibilityCeiling
Wed 6 PM75°75°62°64%0%S3 mph7 mph72%——
Wed 7 PM72°72°62°71%0%SSE3 mph5 mph72%——
Wed 8 PM68°68°62°81%0%SSE3 mph6 mph72%——
Wed 9 PM67°67°62°84%0%SSE3 mph5 mph78%——
Wed 10 PM66°66°62°87%0%SE3 mph6 mph84%——
Wed 11 PM65°65°61°87%0%SSE3 mph6 mph90%——
Thu 12 AM64°64°61°90%0%SSE3 mph6 mph89%——
Thu 1 AM63°63°61°93%0%SE2 mph6 mph89%——
Thu 2 AM63°63°61°93%0%ESE2 mph6 mph88%——
Thu 3 AM63°63°61°93%2%SE1 mph6 mph90%——
Thu 4 AM63°63°61°93%4%ESE2 mph6 mph91%——
Thu 5 AM63°63°61°93%5%ESE1 mph6 mph93%——
Thu 6 AMPatchy fog62°62°61°97%7%SE1 mph5 mph92%——
Thu 7 AMPatchy fog62°62°61°97%5%SE1 mph3 mph91%——
Thu 8 AM63°63°61°93%3%SE1 mph3 mph89%——
Thu 9 AM65°65°62°90%2%SE1 mph3 mph75%——
Thu 10 AM67°67°62°84%1%SSE1 mph5 mph62%——
Thu 11 AM69°69°63°81%0%SSE2 mph5 mph48%——
Thu 12 PM72°72°64°76%0%S3 mph6 mph42%——
Thu 1 PM75°75°64°69%0%S3 mph8 mph36%——
Thu 2 PM78°78°65°64%0%S5 mph8 mph30%——
Thu 3 PM78°78°67°69%0%S5 mph10 mph27%——
Thu 4 PM79°79°66°64%0%S5 mph10 mph25%——
Thu 5 PM80°82°67°65%0%S5 mph10 mph22%——
Thu 6 PM78°78°66°67%0%S5 mph9 mph32%——
Thu 7 PM76°76°65°69%0%SSE5 mph9 mph42%——
Thu 8 PM74°74°64°71%0%SSE3 mph9 mph53%——
Thu 9 PM70°70°63°78%0%SSE3 mph8 mph45%——
Thu 10 PM68°68°62°81%0%SSW3 mph8 mph38%——
Thu 11 PM68°68°62°81%0%SSW3 mph7 mph61%——
Fri 12 AM67°67°61°81%0%SSW2 mph6 mph44%——
Fri 1 AM66°66°60°81%0%SSW2 mph6 mph36%——
Fri 2 AM66°66°60°81%0%SSW2 mph5 mph40%——
Fri 3 AM65°65°59°81%0%SSW2 mph5 mph31%——
Fri 4 AM65°65°59°81%0%SSW2 mph5 mph51%——
Fri 5 AM64°64°58°81%0%SSW2 mph5 mph54%——
Fri 6 AM64°64°58°81%0%SSW2 mph6 mph40%——
Fri 7 AM63°63°58°84%0%SSW2 mph6 mph48%——
Fri 8 AM65°65°59°81%1%SSW3 mph7 mph61%1%——
Fri 9 AM67°67°62°84%1%SW3 mph8 mph32%1%——
Fri 10 AM72°72°63°73%1%SW3 mph9 mph38%1%——
Fri 11 AM76°76°64°66%1%SW5 mph12 mph44%1%——
Fri 12 PM79°79°65°62%1%WSW6 mph14 mph51%1%——
Fri 1 PM81°83°66°60%1%WSW8 mph16 mph58%1%——
Fri 2 PMChance of light rain showers81°83°67°63%48%0.01 inWSW9 mph18 mph65%13%——
Fri 3 PMChance of light rain showers80°83°68°67%48%0.01 inW9 mph20 mph70%13%——
Fri 4 PMChance of light rain showers79°79°69°72%48%0.01 inWNW9 mph18 mph76%13%——
Fri 5 PMChance of light rain showers77°77°69°76%48%0.01 inWNW9 mph18 mph81%11%——

The next 16 days

NWS grid published Sep 30, 5:52 PM EDT to day 8, the National Blend of Models to day 11, the mean of GFS, ECMWF, ECMWF AI to day 16
  1. TodaySep 3077°61°Mostly Cloudy0%wind 5 mph
  2. ThuOct 180°63°Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny7%wind 5 mph · gusts 10 mph
  3. FriOct 284°54°Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers48%0.07 inwind 9 mph · gusts 20 mph
  4. SatOct 369°50°Sunny21%wind 9 mph · gusts 21 mph
  5. SunOct 467°53°Mostly Sunny11%wind 6 mph · gusts 13 mph
  6. MonOct 568°44°Mostly Sunny9%wind 10 mph · gusts 18 mph
  7. TueOct 660°41°Sunny0%wind 9 mph · gusts 15 mph
  8. WedOct 763°47°Sunny2%wind 6 mph · gusts 12 mph
  9. ThuOct 868°50°National Blend4%wind 7 mph · gusts 13 mph
  10. FriOct 966°48°National Blend5%wind 8 mph · gusts 16 mph
  11. SatOct 1063°47°National Blend6%wind 9 mph · gusts 16 mph
  12. SunOct 11~75°54°Model mean
  13. MonOct 12~71°55°Model mean0.43 in
  14. TueOct 13~57°45°Model mean0.34 in
  15. WedOct 14~61°43°Model mean0.02 in
  16. ThuOct 15~53°43°Model mean

Right now

NWS grid for this hour · UV from the EPA · air quality from AirNow
  • Feels like75°
  • WindS 3 mphgusts 7 mph
  • Radar over this pointno reading
  • Humidity64%
  • Dew point62°
  • Pressure—
  • UV index—
  • Air quality—
  • Visibility—
  • Sunrise and sunsetSunrise · Sunset
  • Moonrise8:56 PMMoonset 11:44 AM
  • Moon phaseWaning gibbous83% lit

The National Blend of Models

NOAA NBM v5.0 · run of Sep 30, 2:00 PM EDT

NOAA’s weighted blend of every model it runs, to eleven days, with the chances the grid above does not carry. Where the local office’s grid reaches, its figure sits beneath the blend’s; where it does not, the blend stands alone.

  1. TodaySep 30—61°NWS grid 77° / 61°rain 3%wind 5 mph · gusts 10 mph
  2. ThuOct 181°63°NWS grid 80° / 63°rain 7%wind 5 mph · gusts 10 mph
  3. FriOct 284°54°NWS grid 84° / 54°rain 69%0.08 inwind 9 mph · gusts 18 mph
  4. SatOct 369°50°NWS grid 69° / 50°rain 2%wind 9 mph · gusts 21 mph
  5. SunOct 467°53°NWS grid 67° / 53°rain 11%0.01 inwind 6 mph · gusts 13 mph
  6. MonOct 568°44°NWS grid 68° / 44°rain 2%wind 10 mph · gusts 18 mph
  7. TueOct 660°41°NWS grid 60° / 41°rain 0%wind 7 mph · gusts 15 mph
  8. WedOct 763°47°NWS grid 63° / 47°rain 2%wind 6 mph · gusts 12 mph
  9. ThuOct 868°50°Beyond the NWS gridrain 4%wind 7 mph · gusts 13 mph
  10. FriOct 966°48°Beyond the NWS gridrain 5%wind 8 mph · gusts 16 mph
  11. SatOct 1063°47°Beyond the NWS gridrain 6%wind 9 mph · gusts 16 mph
41°64°86°ThuFriSatSunMonTueWed

BlendNWS gridChance of rain, hourly

The models, side by side

HRRR Sep 30, 2:00 PM EDT · GFS Sep 30, 8:00 AM EDT · GEFS Sep 30, 8:00 AM EDT · ECMWF Sep 30, 8:00 AM EDT · ECMWF AI Sep 30, 8:00 AM EDT

Each line is one model’s own forecast at its own grid cell: three kilometers for HRRR, a quarter of a degree for the global models, which can sit a few hundred meters above or below the town. Where they agree the forecast is settled; where they part is where it is not.

32°59°86°ThuFriSatSunMonTueWed

DayNWS gridHRRRGFSGEFSECMWFECMWF AI
Today Sep 3077° 61°75° 64°76° 62°76° 63°~74° 60°~75° 61°
Thu Oct 180° 63°80° 62°80° 62°79° 61°80° 62°~82° 63°
Fri Oct 284° 54°0.07 in83° 62°83° 62°80° 60°0.07 in82° 59°0.12 in~85° 65°0.08 in
Sat Oct 369° 50°—68° 52°65° 50°0.02 in69° 53°~70° 55°
Sun Oct 467° 53°—64° 48°64° 49°0.09 in~60° 55°0.11 in~67° 53°
Mon Oct 568° 44°—67° 46°65° 50°0.13 in70° 55°~71° 54°
Tue Oct 660° 41°—57° 40°56° 41°~60° 47°~60° 43°
Wed Oct 763° 47°—63° 38°61° 38°~65° 56°~59° 41°
Thu Oct 8——68° 46°0.09 in66° 45°0.06 in~73° 52°~74° 53°0.03 in
Fri Oct 9——66° 45°67° 49°0.06 in~65° 52°~71° 48°
Sat Oct 10——~71° 47°~49° 47°~67° 59°~76° 46°
Sun Oct 11——~70° 50°—~72° 52°~82° 59°
Mon Oct 12——~69° 55°0.92 in—~75° 55°~69° 56°0.35 in
Tue Oct 13——~62° 45°—~64° 56°0.01 in~51° 45°0.68 in
Wed Oct 14——~67° 45°0.02 in—~61° 56°~56° 41°0.03 in
Thu Oct 15——~53° 43°—~52° 51°~36° 34°

A ~ marks a high or low read from six-hourly steps, which miss the true extreme by a degree or two.

ECMWF ensemble meteogram

ECMWF ensemble meteogram for this place: box plots of cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and temperature from the 51 ensemble members for ten days.
Rendered by ECMWF from its 51-member ensemble, in metric units: each box spans the middle half of the members, the whiskers the rest, the line the control run. A forecast, not an observation. © ECMWF, CC BY 4.0.

The next 90 days

NOAA GHCN normals and records at Harrisburg/Capital (CXY) · Climate Prediction Center outlooks

No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one. Where the models stop, the calendar takes over: the 1991 to 2020 normal for each date, the record high and low ever set on it, and where the Climate Prediction Center leans warm, cool, wet or dry over the coming weeks, the month and the season. A site that shows a high for a date three months out is showing you this normal with a wobble.

The forecast reaches Thu Oct 15, from the NWS grid, then the National Blend, then the mean of the global models. Beyond it the lines are the calendar.

Climate Prediction Center (CPC) temperature lean40%33%equal chances40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec0°20°40°60°80°100°TodayOct 1Nov 1Dec 1

Forecast high and lowNormal high and lowRecord high and lowCPC leans warmer than normalCPC leans cooler than normalCPC near normal or equal chances

Week ofNormalWarmest on recordColdest on recordTemperature leanPrecipitation lean
Sep 3073° / 52°97° (1941)31° (1945)equal chances · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 770° / 50°97° (1941)27° (1964)40% chance below normal · days 6 to 10near normal most likely · days 6 to 10
Oct 1463° / 45°87° (2016)28° (1976)equal chances · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 2162° / 45°86° (1947)23° (1969)equal chances · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 2862° / 39°85° (2024)23° (1951)equal chances · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Nov 458° / 38°83° (2024)21° (2003)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 1154° / 36°76° (1973)19° (1986)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 1851° / 33°77° (1942)14° (1964)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 2551° / 35°75° (2006)12° (1967)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 245° / 31°74° (2001)5° (2002)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 944° / 29°71° (1946)4° (2005)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 1641° / 25°70° (2013)-1° (1960)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 2341° / 27°71° (2015)-8° (1960)40% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec

Health and activities

Rules of thumb over the next 24 hours of forecast, the warnings in force, the station’s report, air quality and pollen

None of these is a measurement. Each is a rating of the forecast ahead, and of what is happening at the point right now, against what the activity or the ailment is known to mind, and each names the figure that decided it. An ailment or a pest is rated as a risk, low to extreme; an activity, a chore or a journey as a condition, poor to ideal.

The sun is down, so each rating says which span it is for: tomorrow’s daylight, tonight, or the next 24 hours.

Health

  • Arthritisnext 24 hModeratehumid
  • Sinus pressurenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Common coldtomorrowLowmild
  • FlutomorrowLowmild
  • Migrainenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Asthmanext 24 hLowclean air
  • Heat stresstomorrowLowmild
  • SunburntomorrowLowweak sun
  • Frostbitenext 24 hLowmild
  • SleepingtonightIdealcool, quiet night

Outdoors

  • RunningtomorrowGoodhot
  • HikingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • BikingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • GolftomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • FishingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Boating and paddlingtomorrowGoodfog
  • Beach and pooltomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • CampingtonightIdealfine conditions
  • StargazingtonightPoormostly cloudy

Travel

  • Air travelnext 24 hGoodfog
  • Drivingnext 24 hGoodfog

Home and garden

  • Lawn mowingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • GardeningtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Outdoor entertainingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Drying laundry outsidetomorrowVery goodhumid
  • Painting and outdoor projectstomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • FrosttonightLowmild

Pests

  • MosquitoestomorrowVery highwarm
  • TickstomorrowVery highwarm
  • Indoor pestsnext 24 hLowmild
  • Outdoor peststomorrowHighwarm

Stargazing

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast and the sun and moon

Tonight has no dark, clear hour without a bright moon in this forecast. Rated poor.

Night ofRatingDarkClear hoursClear and moonlessMoon litTransparency (est.)DewStrongest wind
WednesdayPoor8:22 PM to 5:33 AM0 of 10None80%6 h3 mph
ThursdayPoor8:20 PM to 5:34 AM0 of 10None71%3 mph
FridayPoor8:18 PM to 5:35 AM0 of 10None60%3 h9 mph
SaturdayPoor8:17 PM to 5:36 AM0 of 10None50%2 mph
SundayPoor8:15 PM to 5:38 AM0 of 10None39%8 h3 mph
MondayExcellent8:13 PM to 5:39 AM10 of 107 h from 8:00 PM29%Good9 mph
TuesdayGood8:12 PM to 5:40 AM10 of 1010 h from 8:00 PM20%Fair1 mph

Dark is the sun 18 degrees below the horizon; where it never gets that low, 12 degrees, marked nautical. Clear is sky cover of 20% or less. A bright moon is one above the horizon with a quarter or more of its disc lit. Transparency in the table is estimated from surface humidity (70% and 85% mark fair and poor) and visibility, since the forecast carries no haze or high cloud moisture. Seeing and transparency by hour, where shown, are Environment and Climate Change Canada’s astronomy forecast (regional model; seeing from cloud, wind shear, turbulence near the ground and the surface temperature trend; transparency from the moisture through the whole air column), under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Dew is the air within 2 °C of its dew point. Excellent is four or more clear moonless hours with good transparency; good is three; fair is one, or two clear hours.

Golden hour and blue hour

Computed from the sun and moon positions
DayBlue hour, morningGolden hour, morningGolden hour, eveningBlue hour, evening
Wed6:36 AM to 6:46 AM6:46 AM to 7:39 AM6:15 PM to 7:08 PM7:08 PM to 7:18 PM
Thu6:37 AM to 6:47 AM6:47 AM to 7:40 AM6:13 PM to 7:06 PM7:06 PM to 7:17 PM
Fri6:38 AM to 6:48 AM6:48 AM to 7:41 AM6:12 PM to 7:05 PM7:05 PM to 7:15 PM
Sat6:39 AM to 6:49 AM6:49 AM to 7:42 AM6:10 PM to 7:03 PM7:03 PM to 7:13 PM
Sun6:40 AM to 6:50 AM6:50 AM to 7:43 AM6:08 PM to 7:01 PM7:01 PM to 7:12 PM
Mon6:41 AM to 6:51 AM6:51 AM to 7:44 AM6:07 PM to 7:00 PM7:00 PM to 7:10 PM
Tue6:42 AM to 6:52 AM6:52 AM to 7:45 AM6:05 PM to 6:58 PM6:58 PM to 7:09 PM
NESWSRSSMRMS
  • SR Sunrise 7:03 AM, 93° E
  • SS Sunset 6:51 PM, 267° W
  • MR Moonrise 8:56 PM, 55° NE
  • MS Moonset 11:44 AM, 303° WNW
  • Waning gibbous, 83% lit

Golden hour is the sun between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 degrees below it; blue hour is the sun between 4 and 6 degrees below. These are the definitions timeanddate.com and PhotoPills use. Directions are degrees clockwise from true north, where the sun’s upper edge and the moon’s center cross a flat horizon; hills and buildings change both. None means the sun does not reach that height on the day; all day means it stays inside the band.

Drone flying

NWS hourly forecast, SWPC Kp, FAA TFRs and 14 CFR Part 107

This hour: fly with caution (civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)). Next good stretch: Thu 8 AM to 6 PM, 10 hours.

Today: civil twilight for Part 107 6:33 AM to sunrise 7:03 AM, and sunset 6:51 PM to 7:21 PM. Anti-collision lighting is required in those minutes and at night.

Wed6 PM
Thu12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Caution No-fly

HourVerdictWind (mph)400 ft est. (mph)Gust (mph)RainVisibilityCloud allowsTempKpWhy
Wed 6 PMCaution3480%75°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Wed 7 PMCaution3890%72°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 8 PMCaution38110%68°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 9 PMCaution3890%67°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 10 PMCaution3570%66°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 11 PMCaution3570%65°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 12 AMCaution3570%64°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 1 AMCaution2370%63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 2 AMCaution2370%63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 3 AMCaution1262%63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 4 AMCaution2374%63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 5 AMCaution1265%63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 6 AMCaution1257%62°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 7 AMCaution1245%62°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Thu 8 AMGood1243%63°nothing against it
Thu 9 AMGood1142%65°nothing against it
Thu 10 AMGood1151%67°nothing against it
Thu 11 AMGood2350%69°nothing against it
Thu 12 PMGood3460%72°nothing against it
Thu 1 PMGood3490%75°nothing against it
Thu 2 PMGood5590%78°nothing against it
Thu 3 PMGood56120%78°nothing against it
Thu 4 PMGood56120%79°nothing against it
Thu 5 PMGood56120%80°nothing against it

Flight restrictions nearby

Reading the FAA’s temporary flight restrictions.

Flight restrictions on the map. TFRs are not the whole picture: controlled airspace around airports needs LAANC authorization. Check the FAA’s B4UFLY.

Wind at 400 ft is estimated from the 10 m forecast by the power law, with exponents for each Pasquill stability class (Irwin 1979, rural, as in EPA dispersion models; the class from wind, sun height and cloud, after Turner 1970); gusts keep the ground gust’s margin. Caution from three quarters of your limit; the default 24 mph is the wind resistance printed for common sub-250 g drones. 14 CFR 107.51: “The minimum flight visibility, as observed from the location of the control station must be no less than 3 statute miles” and at least “500 feet below the cloud”. 14 CFR 107.29: “No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles”; civil twilight is the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset, in Alaska the Air Almanac’s. Kp: SWPC’s scales say satellite navigation problems may occur at G3 (Kp 7) and navigation is “degraded for hours” at G4 (Kp 8); Kp 5 is the typical app warning. Typical limits, not rules: rain chance 30% caution and 60% no-fly, thunder 10% and 20%, below 0 °C caution and −10 °C no-fly, over 40 °C caution. Your drone’s manual and the airspace come first.

Spraying and field work

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast

Hours fit for spraying, and the days dry enough for fieldwork and hay, read from this forecast’s wind, gusts, humidity, temperature and rain.

Spraying windows

  • Wed 6 PM to 9 PM 3 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Thu 12 PM to Fri 12 AM 12 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Sat 9 AM to 7 PM 10 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Sun 7 AM to 9 PM 14 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Mon 10 AM to 12 PM 2 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Tue 12 AM to 7 PM 19 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Wed 11 AM to 5 PM 6 hours, every hour within the rules
Wed6 PM
Thu12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sat12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Marginal No

Field days

DayDaytimeChance of rainRainLowest humidityStrongest windDry days in a rowHay drying
WednesdayDry0%0.00 in62%5 mph2 d
ThursdayDry3%0.00 in64%5 mph1 d
FridayShowers possible48%0.07 in60%9 mph
SaturdayDry1%0.01 in52%7 mph5 d
SundayDry11%0.00 in68%6 mph4 d
MondayDry2%0.00 in50%10 mph3 dGood
TuesdayDry0%0.00 in49%7 mph2 dGood
WednesdayDry0%0.00 in53%6 mph1 d

Spraying: sustained wind 3 to 10 mph, the range US extension services and most labels give; gusts no more than 15 mph (this page’s limit); delta T (air minus wet-bulb temperature) 2 to 8 °C preferred and 8 to 10 °C marginal, from GRDC guidance, with the wet bulb by Stull’s formula; no hour at a 30% chance of rain or 0.25 mm forecast during the rain-free time. Follow the product label, which overrides all of this. Field days: dry is no daytime hour at a 30% chance and under 1 mm all day, wet is 6 mm (0.25 in) or more; soil moisture is not in the forecast, so ground still wet from earlier rain is not accounted for. Hay drying marks a dry day with humidity down to 50% and a breeze of 5 mph or more.

Solunar times

Computed from the moon’s position

The best-rated day this week is Thursday, rated fair.

DayRatingMajor periodsMinor periodsMoonSunrise, sunset
Wed Poor2:53 AM to 4:53 AM3:23 PM to 5:23 PM11:14 AM to 12:14 PM8:26 PM to 9:26 PM 83%7:03 AM, 6:51 PM
Thu Fair3:53 AM to 5:53 AM4:24 PM to 6:24 PM12:27 PM to 1:27 PM9:20 PM to 10:20 PM 74%7:04 AM, 6:50 PM
Fri Fair4:56 AM to 6:56 AM5:27 PM to 7:27 PM1:32 PM to 2:32 PM10:24 PM to 11:24 PM 64%7:05 AM, 6:48 PM
Sat Fair5:58 AM to 7:58 AM6:29 PM to 8:29 PM2:27 PM to 3:27 PM 54%7:06 AM, 6:46 PM
Sun Fair6:58 AM to 8:58 AM7:27 PM to 9:27 PM11:35 PM to 12:35 AM3:11 PM to 4:11 PM 43%7:07 AM, 6:45 PM
Mon Fair7:54 AM to 9:54 AM8:21 PM to 10:21 PM12:50 AM to 1:50 AM3:46 PM to 4:46 PM 33%7:08 AM, 6:43 PM
Tue Poor8:46 AM to 10:46 AM9:11 PM to 11:11 PM2:05 AM to 3:05 AM4:15 PM to 5:15 PM 23%7:09 AM, 6:41 PM

Periods in bold fall within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The weather’s side is the fishing index

Major periods are two hours centered on the moon’s passage overhead and underfoot; minor periods are one hour centered on moonrise and moonset: the conventional durations of John Alden Knight’s solunar tables (1936). The rating is this site’s: one point to start, two more within a day and a half of a new or full moon (one more within three and a half days), and one more when a period falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The theory has mixed support in fisheries research; the times are exact astronomy.

In words

NWS forecast periods, as issued
  1. Tonight61° · 5% · SE 3 mph

    Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind around 3 mph.

  2. Thursday80° · 7% · SE 1–5 mph

    Patchy fog before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Southeast wind 1 to 5 mph.

  3. Thursday Night63° · S 5 mph

    Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind around 5 mph.

  4. Friday84° · 48% · SW 2–9 mph

    A chance of rain showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Southwest wind 2 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

  5. Friday Night54° · 48% · NW 9 mph

    A chance of rain showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Northwest wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

  6. Saturday69° · 1% · N 3–8 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 69.

  7. Saturday Night50° · 2% · NE 3 mph

    Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

  8. Sunday67° · 11% · SE 2–6 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.

  9. Sunday Night53° · 11% · SW 1–5 mph

    Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

  10. Monday68° · 5% · NW 1–10 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

  11. Monday Night44° · 2% · N 10 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

  12. Tuesday60° · N 7 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 60.

  13. Tuesday Night41° · NE 0–3 mph

    Clear, with a low around 41.

  14. Wednesday63° · SE 1–6 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 63.

The forecaster’s discussion

NWS State College, PA · issued Sep 30, 3:14 PM EDT

Written by the forecaster on duty for their own colleagues and for anyone who wants to know why the forecast says what it says. It is not edited for the public, so it uses the office’s shorthand; it is also the most honest thing any weather service publishes.

What Has Changed

Increased rain chances across the northern tier tonight into Thursday morning.

Elevated frost risk beginning Monday night continuing through Tuesday night with cooler temperatures and light wind.

KEY Messages

1) Showers across the northern tier overnight into Thursday, trending closer to climatological averages to begin October.

2) Frost/freeze concerns across portions of central Pennsylvania early next week, beginning on Monday night and continuing through Tuesday night.

Discussion

KEY MESSAGE 1: Showers across the northern tier overnight into Thursday, trending closer to climatological averages to begin October.

An upper-level trough will bring some light rain across the northern tier overnight into Thursday morning. At this time, best odds based on a combination of NBM/HREF guidance hones in on areas north of Interstate 80 as the most likely to experience rainfall overnight. Some members of hi-res model guidance do indicate that rainfall could reach as far south as a JST/RVL/ZER line; however, forecast continues to outline areas north of I-80 as the most plausible to receive measurable rainfall. In terms of rainfall amounts, generally light rainfall is expected with maximum rainfall amounts overnight topping out near 0.10".

More widespread rainfall is projected by all model guidance along a cold frontal passage. Timing remains fairly consistent between model guidance, with rainfall beginning closer to sunrise on Friday. Based on more recent model guidance, areas west of US-219 could experience first raindrops just ahead of sunrise, thus have sped up mentions of rainfall in the most current forecast package. Guidance remains fairly consistent on the cold front diving southeast throughout the day on Friday with rain chances beginning to exit the forecast area Friday evening. Instability associated with this frontal passage appear to be minimal; therefore, no thunderstorm mentions in the forecast package.

Outside of a wave tracking south of the region on Sunday, tranquil weather conditions are expected for the region this weekend. With regards to the wave, best chances for precipitation will be south of the Pennsylvania-Maryland border but cannot completely rule out a shower south of the Turnpike on Sunday, especially late Sunday morning into the early evening hours. Any additional rainfall will be light, before dry conditions prevail Sunday night and continue through the end of the forecast period.

-------------------------------------------------------------

KEY MESSAGE 2: Frost/freeze concerns across portions of central Pennsylvania early next week, beginning on Monday night and continuing through Tuesday night.

Early next week, Canadian high pressure begins to build into the region, bringing much cooler air and dry weather to the region. LREF ensemble guidance outlines 850mb temperatures trending close to 0F across portions of northern Pennsylvania as early as Monday night, outlining the cooler temperatures that are expected for the beginning of the week. This high pressure will lead to very light wind and mainly clear skies across much of central Pennsylvania, so the biggest question mark with respect to frost will be how low temperatures get and if this is sufficient for frost formation. At this time, current forecast outlines MinTs closer to freezing north/west of the Allegheny Front confidence is higher in some frost/freeze concerns. Further south/east, there is a larger spread in guidance with respect to temperatures, so confidence remains lower; however, generally would urge those with agricultural interests to continue to monitor the forecast closely this weekend into the beginning of next week.

Aviation · 18Z Wednesday Through Monday

Lower ceilings are sticking around longer than expected over the northern and western terminals with more moisture than expected present in the lower levels. BFD and JST are hanging onto MVFR cigs, but they should scatter to VFR within the next few hours. Dry surface conditions are expected to persist through the remainder of today before moderate warm advection associated with a shortwave tracking to our north into Thursday morning will support light rain developing over the northern half of the region after 00Z Thursday. As of now, it appears that rain could make it as far south as UNV, but confidence is highest in BFD and IPT seeing measurable precipitation. The rain should be pretty light and cloud bases don't look to get below 5000 feet, so expect mainly VFR conditions to continue. There remains a low probability (30-40%) of lower CIGS again Thursday morning in BFD and IPT as clouds persist, but VFR ceilings will be prevailing through tomorrow almost everywhere.

Outlook...

Thu...-SHRA possible, mainly over northern PA, with potential for localized AM mist/fog.

Thu Night - Fri...Cold FROPA with showers along the front. LLWS possible, especially northern and western TAF sites.

Sat-Sun...VFR favored behind the FROPA, with lower confidence across southern PA where lingering moisture may bring intervals of low ceilings (primarily MVFR). AM fog possible.

Mon... Dry conditions with VFR prevailing.

Climate

Soggy September Soaker... September 2026 (MDT) precipitation rankings IPT: 11th wettest (6.84") MDT: 26th wettest (4.72") AOO: 9th wettest (5.58") BFD: 10th wettest (4.85") JST: 3rd wettest (7.31") *since 2000 STC: 6th wettest (7.90")

CTP Watches / Warnings / Advisories

None.

Hazardous weather outlook Sep 30, 9:50 AM EDT

The office’s own seven-day heads-up for spotters and emergency managers.

FLUS41 KCTP 301350
HWOCTP

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service State College PA
950 AM EDT Wed Sep 30 2026

PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
056>059-063>066-011400-
Warren-McKean-Potter-Elk-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Clearfield-
Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Cambria-Blair-Huntingdon-Mifflin-
Juniata-Somerset-Bedford-Fulton-Franklin-Tioga-Northern Lycoming-
Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union-Snyder-Montour-
Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland-
Adams-York-Lancaster-
950 AM EDT Wed Sep 30 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Frost could harm sensitive unprotected vegetation Monday night and
Tuesday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

$$

Beaty

The outlooks beyond

SPC, WPC, CPC and the Drought Monitor, read at this point

The national centers each publish a judgment the local grid does not carry. Read here at this exact coordinate.

Severe weather

  1. Day 1 · Wed Sep 30No risk area
  2. Day 2 · Thu Oct 1No risk area
  3. Day 3 · Fri Oct 2No risk area
  4. Day 4 · Sat Oct 3No risk area
  5. Day 5 · Sun Oct 4No risk area
  6. Day 6 · Mon Oct 5No risk area
  7. Day 7 · Tue Oct 6No risk area
  8. Day 8 · Wed Oct 7No risk area

Rainfall

  1. Day 1 · Wed Sep 30Under 0.01 in
  2. Day 2 · Thu Oct 10.01 in
  3. Day 3 · Fri Oct 20.01 in
  4. Day 4-5 · Oct 3–Oct 4Under 0.01 in
  5. Day 6-7 · Oct 5–Oct 6Under 0.01 in

The rainfall forecast on the map, days 1 to 7

Six to fourteen days

  1. Days 6–10 · Temperature40% chance below normalOct 6–Oct 10
  2. Days 6–10 · PrecipitationNear normal most likelyOct 6–Oct 10
  3. Days 8–14 · Temperature33% chance below normalOct 8–Oct 14
  4. Days 8–14 · PrecipitationNear normal most likelyOct 8–Oct 14

Frost and climate

NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Harrisburg 1 Ne

The last spring freeze (32°F) usually comes around April 15 and the first fall freeze around October 23: a growing season of about 189 days.

One fall in ten brings a freeze by October 7; one spring in ten still has one after May 2.

Climate of 40.34, -76.87: normals, records and every month

Everything else on the grid

NWS forecast grid · 27 elements

The forecast office edits about sixty fields for every cell of its grid. The common ones are above; these are the rest, as the daily extreme, for anyone who needs the mixing height, the fire danger or the swell.

ElementWedThuFriSatSunMonTueWed
HeatRisk max1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor0 · Little0 · Little0 · Little0 · Little
Wet bulb globe temperature max73°76°77°64°63°62°54°59°
Heat index max76°82°83°
Wind chill min40°42°
Chance of thunder max0%0%13%1%2%2%0%2%
Mixing height max4,100 ft3,200 ft4,500 ft3,900 ft4,200 ft5,700 ft4,700 ft400 ft
Transport wind max8 mph12 mph16 mph13 mph12 mph15 mph13 mph6 mph
Twenty-foot wind max5 mph3 mph7 mph7 mph5 mph8 mph7 mph5 mph
Davis stability index max322
Atmospheric dispersion index max30466311
Low visibility risk max6855

Against the record

NOAA GHCN · Harrisburg/Capital (CXY) · 8.9 mi away

Each forecast day against the same calendar date at the nearest long-record station: the 1991 to 2020 normal, and the record high and low with the year they were set.

DayForecastNormalRecord highRecord low
Wed Sep 3077° / 61°69° / 51°89° (1953)35° (1942)
Thu Oct 180° / 63°71° / 51°88° (2019)35° (1947)
Fri Oct 284° / 54°72° / 53°95° (2019)36° (1958)
Sat Oct 369° / 50°73° / 52°86° (2023)33° (1974)
Sun Oct 467° / 53°73° / 52°88° (1941)31° (1945)
Mon Oct 568° / 44°71° / 51°97° (1941)34° (1961)
Tue Oct 660° / 41°70° / 49°93° (1941)32° (1958)
Wed Oct 763° / 47°72° / 51°97° (1941)33° (1964)

Sun and moon

DayCivil twilightSunriseSunsetCivil twilightDaylightMoon
Wed6:36 AM7:03 AM6:51 PM7:18 PM11 h 48 min Waning gibbous · 83% lit
Thu6:37 AM7:04 AM6:50 PM7:17 PM11 h 46 min Waning gibbous · 74% lit
Fri6:38 AM7:05 AM6:48 PM7:15 PM11 h 43 min Waning gibbous · 64% lit
Sat6:39 AM7:06 AM6:46 PM7:13 PM11 h 40 min Last quarter · 54% lit
Sun6:40 AM7:07 AM6:45 PM7:12 PM11 h 38 min Last quarter · 43% lit
Mon6:41 AM7:08 AM6:43 PM7:10 PM11 h 35 min Waning crescent · 33% lit
Tue6:42 AM7:09 AM6:41 PM7:09 PM11 h 32 min Waning crescent · 23% lit
Wed6:43 AM7:10 AM6:40 PM7:07 PM11 h 30 min Waning crescent · 15% lit

Forecast from the National Weather Service forecast grid at api.weather.gov, updated by the local office through the day; the written periods and hourly digest are the NWS’s own. Outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center, the Weather Prediction Center and the Climate Prediction Center via NOAA’s map services. Records and normals from NOAA’s Global Historical Climatology Network. Sun and moon computed here. Place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).

What is here

Seven days
The high, the low, the chance and amount of rain and snow, the wind and the forecaster’s words for each day and night, from the National Weather Service grid for the exact cell your town sits in.
Hour by hour
Temperature, what it feels like, dew point, humidity, chance and amount of precipitation, wind and gusts, sky cover, the chance of thunder, pressure, visibility and ceiling, as a chart and as a table, with nights shaded.
Everything else on the grid
The office edits about sixty fields for every cell. The ones the mainstream forecast pages leave out are here as a daily table: HeatRisk, wet bulb globe temperature, lightning activity, mixing height, transport wind, the fire weather indices, and at the coast the waves and swell.
The discussion
The Area Forecast Discussion the forecaster wrote to explain the forecast, in their own words, with the specialist annexes folded away. Also the office’s hazardous weather outlook.
Beyond the week
The Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather category for each of the next eight days, the Weather Prediction Center’s rainfall forecast to day seven and its winter storm severity, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for days six to fourteen, all read at your coordinate.
Against the record
Each forecast day beside the same date at the nearest long-record station: the thirty-year normal and the record high and low with their years, so a forecast high that would break a record says so.
The next 90 days
The forecast as far as the grid, the National Blend and the global models reach, and the calendar after that: the normal and the record for every date, with the Climate Prediction Center’s lean for the weeks, the month and the season drawn over them. No made-up highs for a date three months out.

Common questions

Where does this forecast come from?

From the National Weather Service forecast grid published at api.weather.gov, the same grid the local forecast office edits through the day and the source of every forecast on weather.gov. The written periods, the hourly digest and the forecaster’s discussion are the NWS’s own products, shown as issued. Nothing here is a blend a website made.

How far ahead does it go?

The grid runs seven days ahead, hour by hour for the first days and in three to six hour steps after that. The National Blend of Models carries the days to eleven and the global models to sixteen. Beyond that the page carries the national centers’ outlooks, severe weather to day eight, rainfall to day seven, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for the coming weeks, month and season, over a ninety-day calendar of the normal and the record for each date. No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one.

Why is this different from the app on my phone?

Most forecast apps show a blend of models chosen by the company that makes the app. This page shows the forecast the local National Weather Service office issues, edited by the forecasters who will also issue the warnings, and it shows all of it rather than the six numbers that fit on a phone. The discussion explains the reasoning, which no app carries.

What is a place’s address here?

Every town has its own page, such as /forecast/us/oklahoma/oklahoma-city/, and every day at a town has one too. A ZIP code typed into the search goes to the town it belongs to. Any coordinate at all can be looked up, and the page names the nearest town.

What the weather actually was · Open the live radar · Where the data comes from