Near Drought Conditions Expand In PA Despite Heavy Rains

PENNSYLVANIA — The recent burst of heavy rains that hit parts of Pennsylvania was not enough to reverse drought and near-drought conditions in much of the state.

The latest weekly map from the National Drought Mitigation Center, released Thursday, showed the percentage of the state under "abnormally dry" conditions had grown by 4 percent from last week. Approximately 44.4 percent of the state now falls under that category, compared to 40 percent last week.

As recently as late May, less than one percent of the state fit this categorization.

According to the center, the abornmally dry classification leads to stunted crop growth, delayed planting, wilting of gardens and lawns, and an increase risk of wildfires. It's also, obviously, the precursor to "moderate" drought conditions, which presently cover 6.93 percent of the state. That percentage figure is unchanged from last week.

Here's this week's map (view last week's data here):

Periods of drought interspersed with the severe and devastating storms that have hit the Delaware Valley are likely to be the norm heading into the future, as the impacts of climate change continue to make themselves felt. Climate change creates conditions that exacerbate both severe weather and drought: when things are dry, lingering heat and increased evaporation rates are likely to make them even drier. And when storms hit, they draw more moisture from a warmer ocean.

Nearby New Jersey is suffering even more serious impacts, with a "severe drought" classification covering multiple counties and "moderate drought" covering large swaths of the state.

Forecasters expect some stormy weather in the coming days though. Several rounds of thunderstorms and fierce winds could hit the greater Philadelphia area on Friday and into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Read more: Thunderstorms, Fierce Winds In PA Friday, Weekend Forecast