Dry conditions allowed for severe (D2) drought conditions to continue across southeastern Pennsylvania through April 2025.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS CTP wrote it up.
Dry conditions allowed for severe (D2) drought conditions to continue across southeastern Pennsylvania through April 2025.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 10:23 PM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 1123 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025 .SYNOPSIS... * High pressure will build into the region Tuesday, bringing sunshine, gusty winds and low relative humidity. * Daily shower/thunderstorm chances follow for the second half of the week as another low tracks west of Pennsylvania through the Great Lakes Wednesday night into Thursday and the trailing front stalls just to the south of Pennsylvania. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 7 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... Post-frontal rain continues to fall late this evening over the southeast part of the forecast area in a region of fgen forcing under the right entrance region of an upper level jet streak. Latest HRRR, which is performing well in this strongly forced environment, indicates the back edge of the rain will exit Lancaster County by 05Z-06Z. A much drier northwest flow will overspread the region late tonight, leading to breaking clouds over most of the region. Lake effect stratocu are expected to linger over the Alleghenies through dawn. However, progged inversion heights look too low to support anything more than a few late night flurries over Warren/Mckean counties. See no reason to deviate from NBM Monday night min temps, which range from the upper 20s over the NW Mtns, to around 40F across the Lower Susq Valley. && .SHORT TERM /7 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... High pressure and an associated low-PWAT airmass will build into the region Tuesday, resulting in fair and relatively cool weather Tuesday into Tuesday night. Model soundings indicate lake effect stratocu over the N Mtns will break up by afternoon, as surface ridging builds in from the E Grt Lks. Mixing of very dry air aloft should push RH values into the 20s for much of the area in the afternoon. The dry air and breezy conditions could cause a concern in the fire wx dept. See below for more. Mixing down 850mb temps of -2C to -5C translates to highs ranging from the low 40s over the N Mtns, to the mid 50s across the Lower Susq Valley. High clouds associated with an approaching warm front over the Midwest should work into Central PA Tues night. These should have little effect on temps though. Wind turns to the NE and then E thru the night. Mins should be close to NBM/CONSall equal blend in the m20s NE and m30s SW/SC. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... *Relatively mild and wet pattern into the first weekend of April followed by a cool down to below average early next week Departing high pressure early on Wednesday will likely be followed by a period of rain Wed PM associated with an advancing warm front. A cold air damming scenario ahead of the warm front with surface high east of New England allows for some downside risk to max temps which could verify colder vs. NBM. Much warmer and showery weather is expected Thursday, as the region breaks into the warm sector south of a deepening surface low and ahead of the trailing cold front. The cold front is then progged to stall out just south of PA Thursday night. A wave on this boundary looks increasingly likely to result in a period of rain Thursday night into early Friday, especially across Southern PA. Latest EPS/GEFS suggests a brief period of cool and drier weather is likely Friday/Friday night associated with a surface high passing north of PA. However, medium range guidance indicates additional waves of low pressure riding along the stalled front will result in a rainy weekend. Latest ensemble mean qpf between Wed PM and Sun PM ranges from 1.5 to 2 inches over much of Central PA, which would certainly be beneficial given the recent dryness. This is especially true over the southeastern part of central PA, which has been under moderate to severe drought conditions for quite some time. There is broad consensus among medium range guidance that upper troughing builds over the region early next week, accompanied by below normal temperatures and scattered rain/snow showers over the Allegheny Plateau. Below average temps are favored for much of next week, which could raise some frost/freeze concerns as the spring growing season gets underway. && .AVIATION /03Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Late evening update. Most of the rain now to the east, winds have picked up across most of the area. TAF forecast adjusted for this. Earlier discussion below. For the 00Z TAF package, went with some VCSH groups. Storms now east of MDT, and should be mainly east of LNS by 8 PM. The main cold front over the far west, waiting for the upper level trough to give it a push east. Once this happens, the showers should start to taper off and winds kick up. Much colder by morning. Looking at mainly VFR conditions on Tuesday, but still breezy for the first day of April. Outlook... Wed...Rain moves in west-to-east late. Restrictions likely PM. Thu...MVFR poss in widespread rain showers. TSRA poss, mainly S. CFROPA aftn/eve. Fri...MVFR cigs and visby expected, mainly S. Sat...Widespread showers, impacts likely. Sat... && .FIRE WEATHER... Cooler and drier conditions are forecast to start April on Tuesday as high pressure builds into PA in the wake of a cold front. Dry air will support relative humidities Tuesday afteroon falling into the 20s across most of central PA. Gusty northwest winds are also possible Tuesday, but at this time it appears the strongest winds will be in the morning. With the exception of the NW Mtns and areas southeast of Harrisburg, most of Central PA saw very little rain Monday, leaving fuels vulnerable to wildfire spread. Will continue to monitor the forecast and coordinate with BOF and ANF for any potential need for fire weather statements. && .CLIMATE... Closing out very mild March 2025. Below are the rankings and departures from the historical average through 3/30: Site Avg. March temp Rank Harrisburg 46.5F (+4.9F) 12th warmest Williamsport 44.8F (+6.2F) 9th warmest Altoona 44.4F (+5.9F) 7th warmest Bradford 40.2F (+7.3F) T3rd warmest State College COOP site STCP1 recorded the 10th warmest March on record with an average monthly temperature of 43.3F. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SYNOPSIS...Dangelo NEAR TERM...Fitzgerald SHORT TERM...Fitzgerald/Dangelo LONG TERM...Fitzgerald/Steinbugl AVIATION...Martin FIRE WEATHER...Banghoff/Gartner CLIMATE...Steinbugl
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 957 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025 PAZ005-006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-020200- 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- 957 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PAZ004-020200- Warren- 957 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds are possible early Thursday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
700 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025
PAZ065-066-312315-
York PA-Lancaster PA-
700 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTH CENTRAL LANCASTER AND
SOUTHEASTERN YORK COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT...
At 700 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Delta, moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Wakefield, Little Britain, Delta, Susquehanna Trails, and Peach
Bottom.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3976 7645 3990 7613 3981 7605 3979 7604
3976 7606 3976 7608 3975 7608 3974 7610
3973 7609 3973 7611 3974 7611 3972 7614
3972 7643
TIME...MOT...LOC 2300Z 246DEG 35KT 3975 7634
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
KFSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
713 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025
PAZ066-312345-
Lancaster PA-
713 PM EDT Mon Mar 31 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN LANCASTER COUNTY
THROUGH 745 PM EDT...
At 713 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Wakefield, moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Wakefield, Little Britain, Kirkwood, and Peach Bottom.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3981 7631 3982 7631 3991 7600 3990 7599
3987 7599 3987 7600 3985 7602 3978 7605
3976 7607 3976 7608 3973 7610 3974 7611
3972 7614 3972 7623
TIME...MOT...LOC 2313Z 245DEG 35KT 3980 7618
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
KFThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Continued dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to continue across Schuylkill County throughout all of April 2025. The Schuylkill County Municipal Authority asked customers in Pottsville and 21 other municipalities to continue to limit their water usage.
Continued dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to continue across southeastern Northumberland County throughout all of April 2025.
Continued dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to continue across southern Columbia County throughout all of April 2025.
Continued dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to continue across Lebanon County throughout all of April 2025.
Continued dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to continue across Lancaster County throughout all of April 2025.
Continued dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to continue across York County throughout all of April 2025. A burn ban was in effect for Lower Winsor Township through April 12. Voluntary water conservation was also urged in Stewartstown Borough through April 12.
Dry conditions allowed for D2 (severe) drought conditions to develop across southern Adams County in April 2025, continuing through the end of the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, April 2025
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: 1241704, 1241706, 1241707, 1241708, 1241709, 1241710, 1241711.