Pennsylvania, 2026Drought in Pennsylvania, May 1 to 31, 2026
May 1 to 31, 2026 · NWS CTP · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
Severe (D2) drought remained across portions of southern Pennsylvania throughout the month with near-to-slightly below average precipitation values observed across much of the region throughout May 2026. One area that received above average precipitation was across southern Fulton County which allowed for the county to be removed from severe drought towards the end of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
Severe (D2) drought remained across portions of southern Pennsylvania throughout the month with near-to-slightly below average precipitation values observed across much of the region throughout May 2026. One area that received above average precipitation was across southern Fulton County which allowed for the county to be removed from severe drought towards the end of the month. Elsewhere, Franklin County remained under a Drought Warning while Lancaster County remained in a Drought Watch from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
What forecasters said that day
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 Apr 30, 6:26 PM EST, 5 hours 34 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1) Cool and unsettled pattern to end April and start May with shower chances and frost/freeze risk through the weekend
Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 6:26 PM EST, 5 hours 34 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service State College PA
726 PM EDT Thu Apr 30 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
* Frost Advisory expanded and Freeze Warning issued for the
western Alleghenies and northern mountains late tonight into
early Friday morning
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Cool and unsettled pattern to end April and start May with
shower chances and frost/freeze risk through the weekend
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1: Cool and unsettled pattern to end April and
start May with shower chances and frost/freeze risk through the
weekend
Several disturbances rotating around a persistent upper level
closed low centered over Ontario and Quebec will help to
reinforce broadly deep troughing across the eastern U.S. through
much of next week. This pattern will keep conditions cool and
unsettled at times as multiple frontal systems move through. In
addition to shower chances, the fronts will bring reinforcing
surges of cool air, keeping temperatures near to below seasonal
averages. Chilly nighttime lows will also lead to frost and
freeze concerns Thursday-Saturday night, particularly now that
the growing season is now active across all CPA zones.
Upper level flow briefly becomes more zonal tonight and weak
ridging develops below 700 mb behind a disturbance bringing
scattered showers to the region this afternoon, which should
help to clear out much of the cloud cover over the region. This
combined with light winds should be supportive of radiational
cooling and temperatures should fall into the 30s across all of
central PA. While there could still be a few clouds over the
northwest, confidence in frost and freeze conditions has
increased. As a result, the Frost Advisory has been expanded a
tier of counties to the east, and was upgraded to a Freeze
Warning for Elk, McKean, and Potter Counties.
The next shortwave rotating through the broad upper trough will
bring a round of showers to the region during the day tomorrow,
but we again expect to see enough clearing overnight for frost
and freeze concerns to develop. The coldest night across
northern and western parts of the forecast area will be Saturday
night with a freeze almost certain, but there is some
uncertainty regarding the southeastward extent of frost as
there will be a rather tight pressure gradient across the region
due to a developing area of low pressure off of the coast.
Temperatures trend warmer for the beginning of next week, but
all guidance indicates that unsettled weather will continue with
multiple chances for rain.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Rain is slowly exiting the region this afternoon with a few
isolated showers still present across the state. These will
dwindle over the next hour or so with clouds and skies clearing
by 06Z. The only terminal that has a potential for MVFR or IFR
conditions overnight will be BFD. Elsewhere should remain VFR
overnight with high confidence. Winds will continue to be
moderately gusty (high teens to low 20s (KTS)) for a few more
hours this evening before calming by 06Z everywhere.
Another round of rain will move across the area on Friday, with
accompanying MVFR ceilings expected at BFD and possible (50%)
at IPT, UNV, JST, and AOO. Rain showers will eventually make it
towards the south east, but coverage will be isolated at best.
Outlook...
Fri-Sat...Mainly VFR with brief restrictions possible in
showers.
Sun...Restrictions possible northwest in -RA and possibly some
-SN.
Mon... Models hinting at another low pressure wave to our west,
precip may lead to restrictions, particularly in the west.
&&
.CLIMATE...
*Daily record rainfall of 1.18 inches at KJST yesterday 4/29
breaking the previous record of 1.13 inches set back in 1964
*Despite a cool end to the month, April 2026 will end as one of
the warmest on record
&&
.CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Frost Advisory from midnight tonight to 8 AM EDT Friday for
PAZ004-011-012-017>019-024-025-033-034-037-041-042-045-046.
Freeze Warning from midnight tonight to 8 AM EDT Friday for
PAZ005-006-010.
&&
WHAT HAS CHANGED...Banghoff/Bauco
KEY MESSAGES...Steinbugl/Bauco
DISCUSSION...Bauco
AVIATION...Banghoff/Bowen
CLIMATE...Steinbugl
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 12:00 PM EST, 12 hours before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service State College PA
100 PM EDT Thu Apr 30 2026
PAZ004-011-012-017>019-024-025-033-034-037-041-042-045-046-011700-
Warren-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Clearfield-Northern Centre-
Southern Centre-Cambria-Blair-Somerset-Bedford-Tioga-
Northern Lycoming-Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-
100 PM EDT Thu Apr 30 2026
...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM EDT
FRIDAY...
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania.
.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to
weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more
information about the following hazards.
Frost Advisory.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to
weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more
information about the following hazards.
Frost Advisory.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
PAZ026>028-035-036-049>053-056>059-063>066-011700-
Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Fulton-Franklin-Union-Snyder-Montour-
Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland-
Adams-York-Lancaster-
100 PM EDT Thu Apr 30 2026
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania.
.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.
The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.
The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
PAZ005-006-010-011700-
McKean-Potter-Elk-
100 PM EDT Thu Apr 30 2026
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM EDT
FRIDAY...
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania.
.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to
weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more
information about the following hazards.
Freeze Warning.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to
weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more
information about the following hazards.
Freeze Warning.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Drought, Franklin
- When
- May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Franklin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 39.927, -77.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across south-central Franklin County through May 2026. Precipitation for the month of May 2026 largely remains near climatological averages for much of the county; however, prolonged dry conditions over many months allowed for drought conditions promoted continuation of severe drought conditions. A Drought Warning remained in effect by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the entire month with voluntary water restrictions in place across portions of the county.
Drought, Fulton
- When
- May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 26, 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Fulton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 39.925, -78.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across southern Fulton County throughout much of May 2026 before conditions began to improve by the end of the month due to heavy rainfall. Well-above average precipitation, centered across southern Fulton County during the middle of the month allowed for improvement of the severe drought across the region, with Fulton County being taken out of severe drought on May 26th. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection kept a Drought Warning in effect for the entire month of May 2026.
Drought, Lancaster
- When
- May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Lancaster forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 40.042, -76.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across much of Lancaster County through May 2026. Precipitation for the month of May 2026 largely remained near climatological averages for much of the county; however, prolonged dry conditions over many months allowed for drought conditions promoted continuation of severe drought conditions. A Drought Watch remained in effect by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the entire month.
- 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.
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, May 1, 20261 injured · $2.8 million · EF1 · 55 events
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Texas, May 1, 20261 death · 1.5 in hail · 10 events
- Rip Current in Florida, May 1, 20261 death · 1 injured · 1 event
- Wildfire in Georgia, May 1 to 31, 20261 injured · $16 million · 5 events
- Wildfire in Florida, May 1 to 31, 2026$1.4 million · 8 events
- Drought in Mississippi, May 1 to 31, 202647 events
- Drought in West Virginia, May 1 to 31, 202640 events
- Drought in Tennessee, May 1 to 31, 202638 events
- Drought in North Carolina, May 1 to 31, 202634 events
- Drought in Alabama, May 1 to 31, 202633 events
- Drought in Florida, May 1 to 31, 202632 events
- Drought in New Mexico, May 1 to 31, 202630 events
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: 1337815, 1337823, 1337847.