Rivers Running Below Zero: Northeast Drought Status
There's no doubt looking at the 2-week precipitation percentage map for the Northeast (NOAA), that a lot of areas are in a short-term drought. Update: Read our article about who will get welcome rainfall this week.
If you go back 60 days, it's not as dire but many areas have received 50% of what they should have.
Per the historical database on AccuWeather.com Pro, Trenton, NJ only had 21% of normal precipitation in August and has only received 7% of normal so far in September. Cumberland, Maryland is running at 10% and 6%.
According to the USGS, any rivers and creeks in the eastern U.S. had daily streamflows in the bottom 10% of records (brown) or were setting new records today (red).
Some rivers are running "below zero" stages, which is unusual but not unprecedented. Although it sounds severe, it just means that the rivers are running below what was climatologically agreed to be the average lowest level, according to NWS.
The West Branch Susquehanna River at Renovo, Pennsylvania was at "negative 0.32 feet" according to NOAA AHPS. The top 5 lowest river stages since the 1880s ever recorded there start at -.42 feet, so we are getting close to historic territory.
Officially, the NOAA Drought Monitor from a week ago said the worst drought was in the western tip of Maryland and central New Jersey. However, their more up-to-date Palmer Index listed much of the mid-Atlantic in a "Severe" or "Moderate" drought.
Which of these areas will receive rain from this late-week storm system? Stay tuned to AccuWeather.com for a story about that.
