The Northeastern US is experiencing persistent drought, contributing to an increase in fire danger. For Friday, the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center issued an elevated fire forecast for the area stretching from Massachusetts to the northern edge of Virginia and West Virginia.
CBS News
The threat of this increased fire risk is due to wind speeds of up to 10-25 km/h, with gusts in excess of 40-55 km/h. The relative humidity is even 20% in some places. Red flag warnings were issued in parts of the Northeast and New England into the evening hours of Friday.
CBS News
The weekly drought monitor came in Thursday and 57% of the Tri-State area of metro New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is in moderate drought. Forest fires flared up along the New Jersey Palisades at night while firefighters battled others burns out in southern New Jerseyand several Wildfires are raging in Massachusettswhere drought conditions range from moderate to severe.
CBS News
Learn more about the conditions facing states in the region here:
In Pennsylvania, 22% of the state is now in SEVERE drought, while 4% is in EXTREME drought. Philadelphia had its last measurable rainfall on September 29 of 0.11 inches. Philadelphia receives an average annual precipitation of 37.89 inches and has received 33.43 inches so far this year.
In Maryland, 53% of the state is now in SEVERE drought, while 4% is in EXTREME drought. Baltimore saw its last measurable rainfall on October 1 of 0.35 inches. Baltimore averages 38.94 inches of rain annually and only 31.71 inches have fallen so far this year.
As for New Jersey, 76% of the state is now in SEVERE drought and it has worsened to an EXTREME drought in nearly 20% of the southeastern part of the state. Newark Liberty International Airport had its last measurable rainfall of 0.39 inches on September 29. Newark receives an average of 39.88 inches of rain annually and 34.82 inches so far this year.
For New York, 85% of the state is ABNORMALLY DRY, while 26% of the state is now in a MODERATE drought. New York City’s Central Park received the last measurable rainfall on September 29, with 0.78 inches (technically it got 0.01 inches on October 29, but that wasn’t that significant). Central Park normally has an average annual rainfall of 42.38 inches and has received 38.49 inches so far this year.
For Connecticut, 100% of the state is now in MODERATE drought, compared to just 14% of the state at that level last week. New Haven saw its last measurable rainfall of 0.27 inches on October 7 (technically it was 0.01 inches on November 1, but that wasn’t incredibly significant either). Hartford, which averages 40.25 inches of rain annually, has received 39.29 inches so far this year.
For Massachusetts, 84% of the state is in MODERATE drought, while 32% is in SEVERE drought. Boston received its last measurable rainfall on October 30, of 0.18 inches. The average annual rainfall accumulation in Boston is 36.46 inches and the city has received 36.38 inches so far this year.
Dry conditions in the Northeast are not expected to last much longer as the next chance of rain could come as early as Sunday evening.
