Drought in Pennsylvania, September 1 to 30, 1999

Name: Drought in Pennsylvania, September 1 to 30, 1999
Start: 1999-09-01T00:00
End: 1999-09-30T23:59
Location: Pennsylvania

September 1 to 30, 1999 · NWS BGM · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A very dry spring and summer caused major crop failures and some wells to run dry. Many streams and rivers were also brought to their lowest recorded levels.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: $20 million
Events: 7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BGM wrote it up.

A very dry spring and summer caused major crop failures and some wells to run dry. Many streams and rivers were also brought to their lowest recorded levels. The crops most affected were corn and hay, which dealt a major blow to dairy farmers. September rains from the remnants of Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd helped to ease the summertime drought conditions although they came too late to help the vegetable and grain crops.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Bradford

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Bradford forecast zone
Crop damage: $20 million
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.789, -76.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lackawanna

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Lackawanna forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.437, -75.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Luzerne

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Luzerne forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.177, -75.989 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Pike

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Pike forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.332, -75.034 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Susquehanna

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Susquehanna forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.821, -75.801 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wayne

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.649, -75.303 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wyoming

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Wyoming forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.518, -76.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in Pennsylvania, September 1999

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5717895, 5717896, 5717897, 5717898, 5717899, 5717900, 5717901.