Pennsylvania, 2024

Drought in Pennsylvania, November 5 to 30, 2024

November 5 to 30, 2024 · NWS BGM · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Warmer than average temperatures during the previous three months along with insufficient rainfall, much below average streamflows, groundwater levels and dried out soil conditions prompted the development of Severe Drought conditions in parts of Northeastern PA. Conditions reached this drought threshold during the first week and held steady through the 30th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
None recorded
Events
1

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.

Warmer than average temperatures during the previous three months along with insufficient rainfall, much below average streamflows, groundwater levels and dried out soil conditions prompted the development of Severe Drought conditions in parts of Northeastern PA. Conditions reached this drought threshold during the first week and held steady through the 30th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Luzerne

When
November 5, 8:00 AM EST to November 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Luzerne forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
41.177, -75.989 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The U.S. Drought Monitor declared Severe Drought over the southwest portion of the county as a result of insufficient rainfall during the past 90 days coupled with low streamflows, groundwater levels and drier than average soil moisture. The drought area expanded to include all of the eastern and southern portion of the county during the second week of November.

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

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, November 2024

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1224631.