Quarter-inch of rain breaks 3-week dry spell; more coming
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The nearly quarter-inch of rain that fell across the Pittsburgh region since Sunday night broke a three-week dry spell that had caused drought-like conditions in Western Pennsylvania.
Officials at the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said another half-inch of rain is expected Tuesday.
“We still need more, but every little bit helps,” meteorologist Shannon Hefferan said. “At least this broke our streak.”
And that does it! The dry streak has ended at the four climate sites that had not seen measurable rain for 21 days. pic.twitter.com/tYlOjbiqZp
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) June 11, 2023
Hefferan said rainfall measured at Pittsburgh International Airport totaled about 0.03 inches Sunday, enough to be tracked by the National Weather Service. Another wave early Monday produced about 0.14 inches.
“It’s not that much, less than a quarter of an inch,” Hefferan said. “We should be up to about an inch by Wednesday.”
The dry conditions have impacted farmers across the region. Last week, Soergel Orchards and Trax Farms canceled their annual strawberry events.
High temperatures and lack of rain led to the berries not producing as hoped, Soergel Orchards posted to social media.
According to NWS data, the Pittsburgh region received 12.4 inches of precipitation in the first five months of 2023. That is the lowest total in the past four years during that time frame.
Hefferan said temperatures this week will remain in the low- to mid-70s.