No Relief from Northeast Drought
August showed little difference from the two previous months, as the summer's
hot and dry weather continued. The second half of the month was especially dry.
As the month drew to a close, some places hadn't seen a drop of rain in at
least two weeks. Central Park, in New York City, had a record-setting streak of
24 consecutive days with no precipitation end on August 30. It was the sixth
driest August on record in the Northeast overall, averaging just two-thirds of
the normal monthly rainfall accumulation. The state of Delaware averaged less
than an inch of rain for the month, making it their driest August in 101 years
of record. Georgetown, DE measured only 0.14 inches of rain during the entire
month. The month was also Central Park's driest August ever with a total of
only 0.18 inches. New Jersey recorded its fifth driest August on record and
Pennsylvania its eighth. The dry conditions weren't nearly as bad in parts of
West Virginia and Vermont this month, as those states averaged 97% and 92% of
their normal rainfall totals, respectively.
August was the seventh consecutive month with below normal precipitation in the
Northeast. This seven-month period is the driest in 101 years for New York
state, and the second driest in Delaware and New Jersey. All the other
northeast states reported one of their ten driest February-August periods on
record, except Maryland (11th), Rhode Island (14th) and West Virginia (33rd).
The Northeast overall recorded 76% of the normal precipitation for the second
driest such period on record. The average rainfall deficit for the region is 6
inches, but exceeds 10 inches in some places.
The long-term dryness has lead to severe or extreme drought conditions in at
least part of each of the twelve northeast states, except Rhode Island. Extreme
drought, the worst drought category as indicated by the Long-Term Palmer
Drought Severity Index, is reported in New York's Western Plateau, and Hudson
Valley through New York City and Long Island, coastal Connecticut, northeastern
Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and eastern portions of Maryland. The governor of Delaware ordered mandatory water restrictions in that
state. Several states are also worried about the high danger of forest and
brush fires due to the extremely dry conditions. The states of Maine, Delaware
and Pennsylvania have all issued some type of ban on outdoor burning. (See also
Drought section below.)
The summer's heat continued into August. The month was the fifteenth warmest
August in 101 years of record in the Northeast. The heat was more intense in
the southwestern portion of the region, with West Virginia and Maryland each
reporting their fourth warmest August on record and Pennsylvania their eighth.
Temperatures in the New England states were much closer to normal. Monthly
averages there were generally less than a degree warmer than normal and
Connecticut even averaged 0.1 degree cooler than normal.
The summer (June-August) was the eighth hottest on record for the entire
Northeast. It was the fifth warmest in Maryland, sixth warmest in New York,
seventh warmest in Pennsylvania, and eighth warmest in West Virginia.
Records set during the heat wave included:
- 25 consecutive days with temperatures of 90deg. or warmer (7/12-8/5) at
Baltimore, MD (previous record 21 consecutive days)
- 15 days with temperatures of 90deg. or warmer during August in
Pittsburgh, PA (previous record 13 days in 1988)
- With an average temperature of 70.3 degrees, this was the hottest summer
on record in Binghamton, NY (old record of 70.1deg. was set in 1955).
Significant Weather Events
Scattered thunderstorms developed over Pennsylvania and West Virginia on the
2nd. Winds from the stronger storms downed trees in eastern Allegheny,
northeast Westmoreland, northern Preston, southeast Indiana, Butler,
Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, and Schuykill Counties, PA and Preston County,
WV. Downpours of up to 2 inches an hour flooded several roads in eastern
Allegheny County. Lightning strikes in Allegheny County caused transformer
fires and power outages.
Severe thunderstorms developed along a stationary front stretched across New
York state on the 3rd. Trees and wires were downed in Cayuga, Erie, Genesee,
Herkimer, Hamilton, Monroe, Oneida, Ontario, Oswego, Saratoga, Schenectady,
Warren, Wayne and Wyoming Counties, NY. A boat was destroyed on Cross Lake in
Cayuga County; 4 utility poles were snapped off 3 feet above the ground in
Oneida County; and a tree fell on a car in Wyoming County. One inch diameter
hail fell on Boston in Erie County and over three inches of rain fell in Glens
Falls and Wilton, NY. Hot, humid air to the south of the front resulted in the
issuance of heat advisories for northern New Jersey, the lower Hudson Valley,
metro New York City and northwestern Long Island. Apparent temperatures
exceeded 105 degrees in some locations.
The front lifted north and a cold front moved in from the west on the 4th,
spawning more stormy weather. Thunderstorm winds downed trees and wires in
Albany, Broome, Columbia, Delaware, Hamilton, Herkimer, Rensselaer, Saratoga,
Schenectady, Steuben and Warren Counties, NY; Pike and Susquehanna Counties,
PA; New London and Windham Counties, CT; Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and
Worcester Counties, MA; and throughout Rhode Island. There were several reports
of hail including marble-size hail in Johnston and Hopkinton, RI and golf
ball-size hail in New London, CT. Lightning downed trees and power lines in
Bergen County, NJ and caused several fires in Carroll County, MD. Rainfall
amounts of 2 to 2.5 inches in 2 hours flooded basements and roads in Fayette
County, PA. Heat advisories were issued for Maryland, Delaware and Washington,
DC for heat indices in the 105 to 110 range.
Scattered storms developed in the hot, humid airmass over the mid-atlantic
region on the 5th. A house in Plainfield, NJ was damaged by lightning.
Widespread power outages were reported in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties, NJ.
High winds snapped large pine trees, uprooted others and overturned a mobile
home in Susquehanna County, PA and removed a roof from a barn in York County,
PA.
Strong thunderstorms generated winds up to 65 mph in Vermont and northeastern
New York on the 11th, downing trees and power lines from Clinton County, NY to
Chittenden County, VT and overturned moored boats on Lake Champlain. In
Chautauqua County, NY, high winds blew a tree onto a parked car in Westfield;
uprooted 8 trees and damaged a roof in Ripley, and downed wires, resulting in
power outages. Downpours in Pittsburgh, PA had some streets under four feet of
water with cars stranded; businesses were flooded in Ross Township; rain
collapsed the roof of the Kennedy Township police station and 3 inches of rain
fell in 1.5 hours in Perrysville (all in Allegheny County); Route 85 in
Armstrong County was closed by a rising creek; and mudslides and basement
flooding were reported in Washington County. Elsewhere in Pennsylvania, trees
were downed in Allegheny, Butler, Venango, Clarion, Fayette, Forest, Green,
Westmoreland, Counties. A rock/mud slide was reported in Armstrong County, PA
between Kittanning and Rural Valley.
Heavy surf advisories were issued from the 14th to the 21st when winds
circulating around hurricane Felix caused 8 to 12 foot swells and rip tides
along exposed coastlines from Massachusetts to the Delmarva peninsula. Two
people drowned, one in Rhode Island and the other in Massachusetts, when large
waves flipped their boats. Several beaches were closed to swimming due to high
surf and dangerous undercurrents. Tides that peaked at 1.5 to 2 feet above
normal resulted in some beach erosion and flooding. The high seas kept some
charter fishing boats and ferries dockbound, reducing revenues for those
businesses.
The passage of a cold front spawned a few strong thunderstorms in New York and
Pennsylvania on the 31st. Numerous trees and wires were downed in Albany,
Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Genesee, Madison, Montgomery,
Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schuyler, Steuben, Sullivan,
Tioga, Tompkins, Wyoming, and Yates Counties. Wind damage was also reported in
Tioga, Potter, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, Wayne, Wyoming, and Bradford Counties,
PA. Four boats were overturned on Keuka Lake (NY). Major power outages were
reported in Schuyler County, NY and a roof at the Binghamton, NY Regional
Airport was damaged.
New Weather Records (and near-records)
Summer - June through August
- With a total of only 4.99 inches of rain, the summer of 1995 in Syracuse, NY
was the driest summer since 1965 (5.33 inches). The summer of 1936 was the
driest, with a total of 3.68 inches of rain.
- The summer of '95 (June through August) was the warmest summer on record in
Binghamton, NY. The average temperature of 70.3deg. beat the old record of
70.1deg. in 1955. The summer precipitation total of 6.81 inches made it
Binghamton's 3rd driest summer.
- It was the 2nd warmest and 2nd driest summer on record at Wilkes-Barre Scranton
Airport (PA). The average temperature for the 3-month period was 73.3deg.; the
warmest was 74.1 deg. in 1949. Total rain was 5.56 inches; the summer of 1953
still holds the record at 5.42 inches.
- In Pittsburgh, the average temperature of 75.1deg. for the 1995 summer season
placed this summer the 5th hottest on record. The summer of 1900 was only
0.7deg. hotter.
August 1995 Temperature
- A new record heat wave was set at Baltimore-Washington International Airport on
the 5th which was the 25th consecutive day of 90deg. plus temperatures. This
stretch began on July 12 with an average high of 95deg.. The previous record
heat wave was 21 days in 1988.
- Pittsburgh established a new record of 15 days with temperature 90deg. or above
during August. The previous record of 13 days of warm readings was in August,
1988. Pittsburgh's monthly mean for August was 77.7deg., making this August the
2nd hottest on record and the 5th hottest month ever. The warmest August in
Pittsburgh was in 1900 when the average temperature was 78.7deg. and the
hottest month ever was July 1887 with a mean of 80.3deg.
- Scranton had 12 days of 90deg. or above temperatures during August. This ties
the all-time record.
- Hartford established a new record stretch of days 90deg. or above with 10
consecutive days ending August 2nd. The previous heat wave was 9 days from
August 27 to September 5, 1973.
August 1995 Rainfall
- The streak of consecutive days with no precipitation in Central Park, NY ended
on the 30th at 24 days, breaking the old record of 19 consecutive days from
August 12th to 30th in 1938.
Drought
Much of the Northeast experienced mild to extreme drought conditions during the
course of the summer. The lack of rain has taken its toll on lawns and gardens,
shrubbery, crops, water supplies and livestock. Trees have begun to drop leaves
in order to conserve water, leaving slim prospects for a colorful foliage
season. Fires in the Pine Barrens of Long Island destroyed 3,000 acres,
Maryland had about 400 fires that burned 4,000 acres and Pennsylvania banned
open fires in state forests. Wells have gone dry and reservoirs are below
normal for this time of year. Without a good flow to prevent it, salt water has
pushed up the Hudson River to near Poughkeepsie. The salt water has reached
Poughkeepsie's drinking water intake pipes only twice in the past 20 years.
Crop yields are way down, pastures have been so poor that farmers have to
provide supplemental feed to livestock, and milk production is down (more from
the heat than lack of rain).
Energy
Sweltering conditions early in the month resulted in record-breaking power use
in the metropolitan New York City area. ConEd supplied 10,805 megawatts of
power on the 2nd, breaking the record of 10,752 megawatts set on June 23, 1991.
Public Service Electric and Gas also set a new record on the 2nd, with about
9450 megawatts of demand. The previous record was set July 27, 1995.
Water Resources
New York
For the fifth consecutive month, mean flow was in the deficient range at the
Mohawk River at Cohoes, Schoharie Creek at Prattsville, Wallkill River at
Gardiner, Susquehanna River at Conklin, Allegheny River at Salamanca, and
Genesee River at Wellsville. Mean flow was in the average range at the
remaining sites. Groundwater levels ranged from 0.17 feet below normal at
Montgomery to 5.71 feet below normal at Greene. The month-end capacity of the
New York City reservoir system was 63.8%. Normal is 81.2% of capacity. Storage
at Great Sacandaga Lake and Lake Champlain was also below normal. Storage at
the Indian Lake Reservoir was slightly above normal.
Maryland and Delaware
Although streamflow decreased throughout most of the bi-state region, it
remained in the normal or excessive range. Flow was in the excessive range in
western Maryland on the upper Potomac River, and normal elsewhere. Groundwater
levels also decreased and remained in the below-normal range. in central
Maryland, levels were below normal for the 12th consecutive month. Contents of
the Baltimore reservoir system were 92% of average near month's end
Maine
Streamflows were below normal state-wide, with record low flows in the
Mattawamkeag and Little Androscoggin basins. Groundwater levels were below
normal throughout the state and the usable storage in the reservoirs was 64% of
capacity. Average capacity for the end of August is 70%.
Connecticut
Rainfall early in the month increased streamflow to normal at the Mount Hope
River station, the Burlington Brook station, and the Pomperaug River station.
Average flow remained below normal (5th consecutive month) at the Salmon River
station. Groundwater levels were in the normal range at Groton, Middlefield,
Plainfield and Woodbury and below normal elsewhere. The wells at Brookfield,
Burlington and Waterbury had the lowest August readings on record. Usable
contents in the municipal reservoir system ranged from 1% above average at
Hartford to 25% below average at Norwalk.
Central New England
Streamflow was normal in Vermont, western New Hampshire and west-central
Massachusetts and below normal elsewhere. Groundwater levels were below normal
in Rhode Island, most of Massachusetts, northern and eastern New Hampshire and
parts of central and western Vermont. Southern and most of north-central
Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire had normal groundwater levels while a
small area in northeastern Vermont had above normal levels. Contents of the
major reservoirs in the region ranged from 86% of average at Borden Brook, MA
to 104% of average at Lake Francis, NH.
Agriculture
New Jersey
Topsoil moisture was short throughout the state. Irrigation was extensive due
to lack of rain. The hot, dry weather was causing a decline in the corn and
soybean condition. Pasture conditions deteriorated from fair early in the month
to very poor at the end of August. Peach harvest was underway and the volume
and condition was good. Lack of moisture reduced the size of the apples,
however the condition is also good. Vegetable harvests were underway with
adequate supply.
New York
Dry conditions continued, leaving the soil moisture supplies 42% very short,
42% short, and 16% adequate. Pasture conditions ranged from very poor to good.
Corn yield and conditions vary widely across the state. Silage harvest has
begun; wheat harvest is complete; and the oat harvest is near completion. Sweet
corn, cabbage, tomato and snap bean yields and size were reduced, but most
vegetables were in good condition. Early apples were being harvested with the
crop in good condition. Grapes were turning color and needed rain to size up
the fruit.
Maryland and Delaware
Topsoil and subsoil moisture was mostly very short to short in Maryland and
Delaware. Crop progress in both states was generally ahead of normal, however
the condition varied. Grain crops were mainly in very poor to fair condition,
while the fruit crops' condition was good. Hay supplies were short to mostly
adequate and pasture conditions were very poor to fair.
Pennsylvania
Soil moisture was 73% very short, 22% short and 5% adequate. Crop conditions
continued to decline due to the hot, dry weather. Corn was being cut for silage
before it became too dry to use as silage, hay regrowth was very poor and fall
planting of wheat and barley was behind normal. Late sweet corn was poor.
Pumpkins and squash were drying and maturing rapidly.
West Virginia
Soil moisture supplies at month's end were 4% very short, 65% short and 31%
adequate. Corn, soybean, hay and pasture conditions were mostly fair to good.
Tobacco ranged from very poor to good condition. The wheat and oat harvests
were nearing completion. Peaches and apples were reported in good condition.
The peach harvest was nearing completion.
New England
New England's topsoil and subsoil moisture was rated very short to adequate.
Pasture conditions were 4% very poor, 24% poor, 40% fair and 32% good. The lack
of moisture was affecting the yields of small grain crops and caused leaf
curling and reduced grain content in corn silage. Most vegetable quality has
been excellent despite the lack of rain. The dry weather has affected the
blueberry crop with shrivelled berries and leaf drop. Cranberries remain in
good to excellent condition and most of the field crops are in fair to good
condition.
Soil Moisture
The warm and very dry conditions across the Northeast resulted in extreme soil
moisture deficit conditions for most of the region. By the end of August, soil
moisture deficit values were greater than two inches from the Delmarva
Penninsula north through eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and into southern New
England. Although soil moisture deficits are not unusual at the
end of August, many areas of the Northeast had deficit values more than 3 times
greater than normal. Across the southern Delmarva Penninsula, where soil
moisture deficts reached over 3 inches, serious crop losses have been reported.