Feast or Famine

Precipitation during the first half of September ranged from less than 25% of normal to more than 150% of normal.

A large portion of the Northeast experienced drier-than-normal conditions during the first half of September. The driest areas, which received less than 25% of normal rainfall, included parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and southern Maine. In fact, Elkins and Huntington, WV, did not receive measurable precipitation during the first two weeks of September, and Beckley and Charleston, WV, received lees than a tenth of an inch! Twenty-four of the region’s 35 major climate sites were drier than normal, with 12 of those sites ranking this first half of September among their 20 driest on record. In West Virginia, a small area of moderate drought developed and abnormal dryness expanded, while abnormal dryness was introduced in parts of Maryland and Delaware.

On the other end of the spectrum, some areas, particularly parts of western Pennsylvania, western and northern New York, and northern Maine, received more than 150% of normal precipitation. Three of the 11 wetter-than-normal major climate sites ranked this first half of September among their 20 wettest. The rainfall in some of these areas wasn’t quite enough to ease abnormal dryness but it kept conditions from worsening.

September 1-15 precipitation at the major climate sites ranged from 0% of normal in Elkins and Huntington, WV, to 251% of normal in Buffalo, NY.

The Northeast experienced a wide range of temperatures during the first two weeks of September, from 6°F below normal to 6°F above normal.

While New York and New England were generally colder than normal during the first half of September, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the Mid-Atlantic were generally warmer than normal. Average temperatures ranged from more than 6°F below normal in western Maine to more than 6°F above normal in southern West Virginia. Twenty-three of the region’s major climate sites were warmer than normal, with nine ranking this first half of September among their 20 warmest. Conversely, Caribou, ME, had its 18th coldest start to September.

At the major climate sites, September 1-15 temperatures ranged from 3.0°F below normal in Caribou, ME, to 7.1°F above normal in Beckley, WV.