Recent Rain

The Del Val got about.6 inches of rain more or less. Much needed, but it looks like Central Pa. Missed most of it.
 
this article sums up our (as far as the Delaware River Basin goes) water situation very well. (hopefully not dry well)...

Assessing drought in the Delaware River Basin is complicated

Meg McGuire, Delaware Currents | March 21, 2025 | Energy & Environment, Water

Delaware River Basin Commission graphics help to understand the different factors

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Credit: (Delaware River Basin Commission; data source - NOAA)

Precipitation in the Delaware River Basin over the 12 months to March 2025: Most of the basin has received below normal precipitation except for the northwest.

This story was originally published by Delaware Currents, a news project dedicated to telling the story of the Delaware River. Sign up for their newsletter here. Delaware Currents and NJ Spotlight News are part of a collaborative of news organizations working together to provide comprehensive climate change coverage for New Jersey.

That drought we experienced in the autumn? It’s not over yet, at least for much of the four-state watershed. New York returned to normal status on Jan. 1.

So the Delaware River Basin Commission on March 12 voted to extend its Water Supply Emergency resolution (2024-07) to an unspecified date or “when the combined storage in the New York City Delaware Basin reservoirs (including the projected water runoff equivalent of actual snow and ice within the watersheds tributary to the reservoirs) reaches a level 15 billion gallons above the drought watch line… and remains above that level for five consecutive days.”

The Water Supply Emergency is not a drought — that determination is based on the amount of water in the three New York City reservoirs. Have a look: (All these graphics are from the March 12 meeting of the Delaware River Basin Commission meeting.)

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It’s a pretty bumpy line. As explained by the DRBC’s senior water resources manager, Fanghui Chen, at the March 12 meeting, the water levels had risen in the past few days due both to some — not a lot — of rain and boosted by snowmelt due to warmer temperatures.

But the drought persists.

See the graphic at the top of this page — how precipitation is 6 inches above normal in the northern basin, but 18 inches below normal in some areas of Pennsylvania and 14 inches below normal in New Jersey?

There can be wacky swings in what different areas of the basin are experiencing.
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But gauging our water supply also relies on looking at several other measurements, like streamflow:



On the above graphic you can see how those areas are seeing less water in their streams — especially South Jersey.

And groundwater (this is the water below ground).

1743011948876.jpeg


When you start putting these measurements together you can see why there’s a lingering problem.

And do you remember the problems with wildfires that New Jersey had last year?

Here’s an excerpt from a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection release:

“The Forest Fire Service has responded to a marked increase in wildfires since the onset of the state’s abnormally dry period in September 2024, which saw one of the busiest fall wildfire seasons on record, with 798 wildfires burning 4,847 acres. Since Jan. 1, the Forest Fire Service has responded to 356 wildfires statewide, burning a total of 1,022 acres — a threefold increase in wildfires compared to the same period last year.”

Wildfires are another harbinger of climate change in our region.

Here’s the drought status in the states (remember the DRBC only declares a drought for the river itself. The states declare it for themselves):

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So we’re not out of the woods yet, as this National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration outlook predicts.

1743011774306.jpeg
Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
 
Roofin' Trouter said:
Maybe it worked? I don't know but, Weather.com shows 8 of next 9 days have a greater tan 50% chance of rainfall in my area. Time will tell.
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Here’s to hoping it’s more than a sprinkle each time! Seems that a lot of our recent rain events have under performed based on the projected totals. I’ve noticed that we also keep experiencing a stubborn dry slot that seems to build in across Northern Chester, Berks, Northern Lancaster and Schuylkill counties every time a system moves through.
 
Nocktavius said:
Here’s to hoping it’s more than a sprinkle each time! Seems that a lot of our recent rain events have under performed based on the projected totals. I’ve noticed that we also keep experiencing a stubborn dry slot that seems to build in across Northern Chester, Berks, Northern Lancaster and Schuylkill counties every time a system moves through.
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Yeah its super weird. Combine that with some other things you see in the sky and it really makes you wonder whats actually going on
 
JeffP said:
Getting some good rain here in Lititz!
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Dear JeffP,

But that's kind of the problem. The rain is training in a line from SW to NE. A twenty-mile-wide swath along the line might have flash flooding while the people east or west of the line wind up with bupkis. We'll see what happens, but so far just drizzle here in Harrisburg. If I go out at 10:00 PM and check my cars in the driveway and they are dry underneath we won't have gotten any rain to speak of.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂
 
TimMurphy said:
Dear JeffP,

But that's kind of the problem. The rain is training in a line from SW to NE. A twenty-mile-wide swath along the line might have flash flooding while the people east or west of the line wind up with bupkis. We'll see what happens, but so far just drizzle here in Harrisburg. If I go out at 10:00 PM and check my cars in the driveway and they are dry underneath we won't have gotten any rain to speak of.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂
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Tim, yes that line was pretty strange. Clearly east got more with Harrisburg almost nothing. I would have guessed we go more than the inch my map is showing. Only about 1/2 inch just to my west. Hopefully you get in on some rain later in week and weekend.
 
got 1.42" at our house here in bucks cty.
i guess this is the time of year that a lot of the rain is taken in by the soon to be leafing out trees as the delaware river level is predicted to only rise by a foot. it's pretty close to summer levels prior to this event. more storms are predicted for this week but it doesn't show much impact on the level according to the National Water Prediction Service.

Delaware River at Riegelsville

water.noaa.gov water.noaa.gov
 
Good for you, Larry. Unless it rained a lot here overnight, we pretty much got nothing in Mifflin County. I don't have my rain gauge out yet.
 
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