Drought Information Statement for Northern Ohio
Valid September 18, 2025
Issued By: NWS Cleveland
Contact Information: nicholas.greenawalt@noaa.gov  
This product will be updated by October 16, 2025 if severe drought conditions persist at that time, or sooner if drought conditions significantly change.
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/cle/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates for regional drought status updates.
Drought conditions have expanded across the area over the last several weeks.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions have developed across portions of Northwest Ohio and the southeastern fringe of the forecast area. 
Scattered rain showers will return to the area late this weekend into next week which may provide marginal improvements.
1

U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought intensity and Extent
D2 (Severe Drought): Portions of Northwest Ohio including parts of Lucas, Wood, Hancock, and Seneca counties and southeastern Knox, Holmes, and Stark counties.
D1 (Moderate Drought): Much of Northern Ohio and interior Northwest Pennsylvania.
D0: (Abnormally Dry): The Central Highlands in Ohio and near the lakeshore of Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania, excluding north-central Erie County, PA. 

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 
Drought developed and/or degraded across the majority of the forecast area.
The Erie, PA area is the only location in the forecast area that has not experienced drought development due to minimal precipitation deficits/drought impacts.

Precipitation
Highest 30-day rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches have fallen along the lakeshore across most of Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. This is around 50 to 75% of normal.
The majority of interior Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania have observed 2 inches or less of rainfall over the last 30 days. This is generally 25 to 50% of normal, although many locations are less than 20% of normal.


Summary of Impacts 
Streamflows values are generally below normal where moderate drought (D1) or worse conditions are present. (USGS)
The riverbeds of many creeks and small streams are dry. (CoCoRaHS) 

Agricultural Impacts
Crop growth is stunted, especially across D1 and D2 areas. (CoCoRaHS)
Abnormally dry daily shallow soil moisture values across the area. (CPC)
Low Crop Moisture Index values across the area, especially in D1 and D2 areas. (CPC)

Fire Hazard Impacts
No known impacts at this time.

Other Impacts
No known impacts at this time.

Mitigation Actions
Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information.


Seven Day Precipitation Forecast
Dry weather is favored through the majority of the weekend with periodic scattered rain chances returning late Sunday into next week.
Showers may be lake-enhanced, which would place the highest rainfall values in Northeast Ohio and possibly Northwest Pennsylvania.
7-day rainfall totals of 0.5 to 1 inch possible in locations that receive lake-enhanced rain showers. This may allow for marginal improvements in observed drought impacts.
Inland locations could receive less than 0.5 inches of precipitation over the next 7 days. Drought relief may be minimal in these areas.


Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The monthly precipitation outlook for October doesn’t favor above or below normal precipitation across the region.
The monthly temperature outlook for October predicts a 40 to 50% chance of above normal temperatures. 


Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought conditions are predicted to persist across the majority of the local area through the end of 2025.