Drought Information Statement for Central Pennsylvania 
Valid August 21, 2026
Issued by: National Weather Service State College

Recent precipitation has resulted in continued gradual improvement across portions of south-central Pennsylvania. The latest CPC Seasonal Drought Outlook calls for continued improvement in the existing drought conditions across south-central Pennsylvania through late Summer and early Fall.

U.S. Drought Monitor Drought Intensity and Extent for Central Pennsylvania:
D1 (Moderate Drought): Franklin, Adams, York, Lancaster, Lebanon
D0 (Abnormally Dry): Bedford, Fulton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Schuylkill

One-Week Change in Drought Intensity:
Continued gradual improvement was observed over the past couple of weeks across south-central Pennsylvania.

30-Day Precipitation Percent of Normal:
The past 30 days have been relatively wet across much of Central Pennsylvania, with the exception of the Susquehanna Valley between Wilkes-Barre and Harrisburg.

Agricultural Impacts:
100-centimeter soil moisture remains below to well below average across the Cumberland and Susquehanna valleys, as well as across far northwestern Pennsylvania.

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

Other Impacts:
There are no countywide burn bans in effect across Central Pennsylvania.

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

Latest PA drought designations:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Drought Watches and Warnings for several south-central Pennsylvania counties. (The NWS does not declare Drought Watches or Warnings.)

Agricultural Conditions:
100-centimeter soil moisture is above average across the Laurel Highlands and southern Alleghenies, and below average across the northwestern highlands and the Lebanon, Susquehanna, and Cumberland valleys.

Fire Hazard Impacts:
The Significant Wildfire Potential Outlook is near average for September 2026 across Pennsylvania.

Seven Day Precipitation Forecast:
7-day rainfall is expected to range from a quarter to half an inch across the northern and western highlands up to over one and a half inches across the far Lower Susquehanna Valley. This is generally near to below average outside of the higher amounts expected in the far Lower Susquehanna Valley.

8-14 Day Outlook:
The 8-14 day outlook calls for near to below average temperatures and near to above average precipitation for Central Pennsylvania. The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage.

Drought Outlook:
The existing drought across portions of south-central Pennsylvania is expected to continue to slowly improve over the next few months. The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage.

The next update to this Drought Information Statement will be issued by September 4, 2026.