PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – This past week’s drought monitor continues to show much of Western PA and Northern West Virginia in moderate to severe drought conditions.
In Pennsylvania, 98.71% of the state is in at least abnormally dry conditions. Roughly 44% of the state is in moderate drought or worse, which is the greatest area coverage since late June 2023.
There have only been four other times since 2000 when greater than 98% of the state was abnormally dry or worse: May 2001, July 2002, September 2002, May 2006, and June 2023.
In West Virginia, conditions are much worse statistically speaking with nearly 100% of the state in moderate or worse drought. This year also marked the first time West Virginia has seen exceptional drought conditions—the highest categorization of drought–since the drought monitor emerged in 2000.
During the summer, when this drought emerged, it was categorized as “short-term”, meaning that impacts were primarily limited to grasslands and agriculture. Now, we are categorized with both “short-term” and “long-term” drought which means impacts are extending beyond dried-out plants and soils—we are seeing increasing impacts to hydrology along with ecology.