Drought Information Statement for Central Pennsylvania 
Valid February 13, 2026
Issued by: National Weather Service State College
Contact Information: ctp.stormreports@noaa.gov
Thie next update to this Drought Information Statement will be issued by February 27, 2026.
Much of central Pennsylvania remains abnormally dry, with portions of south-central Pennsylvania remaining in Moderate (D1) to Severe (D2) drought.
Some improvement is expected in the upper Juniata and West Branch Susquehanna basins through early Spring, with drought expected to generally persist elsewhere.

U.S. Drought Monitor Drought Intensity and Extent for Central Pennsylvania:
D2 (Severe Drought): Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Adams, Schuylkill
D1 (Moderate Drought): Centre, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon, Somerset, Cumberland, York, Lancaster
D0 (Abnormally Dry): Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Elk, Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan, Clearfield, Cambria

One-Week Drought Monitor Class Change:
Portions of the Lower Susquehanna Valley were downgraded from D0 to D1 drought conditions. Otherwise, the status quo was largely maintained across central Pennsylvania.

30-Day Precipitation and Percent of Normal:
30-day precipitation anomalies have been below to well below average across central Pennsylvania.

7-Day & 30-Day Temperature Anomalies:
7-day and 30-day temperature anomalies have been below to well below average across central Pennsylvania.

Summary of Impacts:
Hydrologic Impacts:
Due to the recent cold temperatures, most of the waterways across central Pennsylvania are being significantly impacted by ice.

Agricultural Impacts:
Soil moisture conditions remain abnormally dry across south-central Pennsylvania, with near to above average soil moisture observed across north-central Pennsylvania.

Fire Hazard Impacts:
The significant wildfire potential outlook remains near average across Pennsylvania for February 2026.

Other Impacts:
As of February 2, 2026, there were no county burn bans in effect across Pennsylvania.

Mitigation Actions:
There are both voluntary and mandatory water restrictions in place for some communities across central Pennsylvania. Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information.

Latest PA drought designations:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a Drought Watch for several Pennsylvania counties and a Drought Warning for Fulton County. (The NWS does not declare Drought Watches or Warnings.)

Agricultural Conditions:
Soil moisture conditions remain abnormally dry across south-central Pennsylvania, with near to above average soil moisture observed across north-central Pennsylvania.

Fire Hazard Impacts:
The significant wildfire potential outlook remains near average across Pennsylvania for February 2026.

Seven Day Precipitation Forecast:
7-Day precipitation is generally expected to be between a tenth and half an inch across central Pennsylvania.

8-14 Day Outlook:
The 8-14 day forecast calls for a trend towards above average temperatures and above average precipitation through mid to late February. The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage.

Drought Outlook:
Some improvement is expected on the western periphery of the drought in central Pennsylvania through the end of April 2026. Otherwise, the existing drought is expected to persist across the remainder of south-central Pennsylvania. The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage.