Pennsylvania Declares Drought Conditions in 35 Counties 

The Pennsylvania Drought Task Force has announced that the counties of Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Carbon, Chester, Clearfield,  Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland and York are under a Drought Watch and Berks and Schuylkill counties are under a Drought Warning due to consistent dry conditions, with very little rain over September and October. The Drought Task Force is monitoring other areas of the state.

Click here for a link to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Drought Information page and Drought Map.

Remember, in a drought watch, we should all be seeking to reduce water use by about 5 percent through voluntary conservation measures.

Much of the state is also at high risk for fire danger due to the dry conditions and burning should be done only with extreme caution or avoided altogether.