No measurable precipitation in Pittsburgh since July 21 (Philadelphia, York: school, live in)

[Craziaskowboi]

For eight straight days from July 22-29, there was no precipitation at all in Pittsburgh, until a trace was observed at 3AM on July 30. Today makes it 10 straight days with no measurable precipitation, and the precipitation total for July is now below normal despite how wet it was during the first half of the month. Barring a fluke rain shower overnight tonight, the next real chance for precipitation won't be until late Sunday night at the soonest, which could extend the streak to 12 straight days.

Just for the sake of reference, here's a list of the maximum periods with no measurable precipitation starting after May 1 in every major Northeastern and Midwestern metropolitan area:


13 days - Chicago
13 days - Milwaukee
12 days - Providence
11 days - Boston
10 days - Cincinnati
10 days - Pittsburgh
10 days - Washington DC
9 days - Baltimore
9 days - Cleveland
9 days - New York
9 days - Rochester
8 days - Indianapolis
8 days - St. Louis
7 days - Hartford
6 days - Columbus
6 days - Minneapolis/St. Paul
6 days - Philadelphia
5 days - Kansas City

(NOTE: Cities with ongoing maximum periods are shaded in MAROON.)


The specific periods for each major metropolitan area listed above are May 22-30 for Baltimore, May 20-30 for Boston, twice (most recently June 1-6) for Buffalo, ongoing since July 19 for Chicago, May 1-10 for Cincinnati, June 1-9 for Cleveland, July 20-25 for Columbus, twice (most recently July 19-24) for Detroit, May 20-26 for Hartford, May 17-24 for Indianapolis, June 16-20 for Kansas City, ongoing since July 19 for Milwaukee, May 18-23 for Minneapolis/St. Paul, May 18-26 for New York, twice (most recently July 21-26) for Philadelphia, ongoing since July 22 for Pittsburgh, June 3-14 for Providence, May 16-24 for Rochester, July 11-18 for St. Louis, and May 6-15 for Washington DC.

I just thought I'd highlight this since apparently it never happens.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

I just thought I'd highlight this since apparently it never happens.

Good Lord some of you people are so condescending and smug! Nobody claims it "never" happens. It just rarely happens. This past week in particular is some of the most sublime weather I've ever experienced since moving here, and I'm very grateful for that. The abundant sunshine has permitted my depression to ebb, and I've gone back to distance running as a result. Pittsburgh overall has cloudy weather with intermittent breaks of "awesome", which is what we've now been having. It doesn't mean this is something people should be getting used to.

Don't act like this is a typical occurrence. You live in Georgia. You have no idea how dreary June was here. I worked outside on June 1 when I swear it was in the 50's all day, and I was freezing!

[ForYourLungsOnly]

hoping for a just a little rain in Chicago soon. I think there's a chance tomorrow, though it will be of the afternoon summer short/brief thunderstorm variety. It was an incredible July here. I'm assuming July felt amazing in Pittsburgh after the deluge you got in June. The Northeast/Midwest needed this July after the annoying June most of it got.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Good Lord some of you people are so condescending and smug! Nobody claims it "never" happens. It just rarely happens. This past week in particular is some of the most sublime weather I've ever experienced since moving here, and I'm very grateful for that. The abundant sunshine has permitted my depression to ebb, and I've gone back to distance running as a result. Pittsburgh overall has cloudy weather with intermittent breaks of "awesome", which is what we've now been having. It doesn't mean this is something people should be getting used to.

Don't act like this is a typical occurrence. You live in Georgia. You have no idea how dreary June was here. I worked outside on June 1 when I swear it was in the 50's all day, and I was freezing!

And then others are completely melodramatic about the weather here. We have all kinds.

[bradjl2009]

I remember that June 1st day. As someone who loves fall and winter I actually enjoyed it.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

You live in Georgia. You have no idea how dreary June was here.

Yes I do; my brother complained about it. And when I visited him for a week last June, the weather wasn't very nice until the last two days I was there. That same week, I received a text message from my best friend who was on a business trip in Frederick, MD that simply said, "It's rained every day that I've been here."

I also remember May-June 1989, when Pittsburgh had 26 of 31 days in May with measurable precipitation, and June became the second-wettest month on record. Only November 1985 was wetter. (Ironically, July-August 1989 was very dry.)

June is the wettest month of the year in Pittsburgh on average, and I've directly experienced why. In fact, I'll tell you what I remember of every June as far back as my memory can go...


1984: Warm but stormy
1985: Warm and dry
1986: Warm and dry to start, but stormier later
1987: Hot but stormy
1988: Very hot and dry
1989: Warm and very stormy to start, but drier later
1990: Cool and stormy
1991: Hot and dry
1992: Cool and dry
1993: Hot but stormy
1994: Very hot but stormy
1995: Hot and dry


Looking at the data, my memories of 1984, 1991, and 1994 were a bit off, with 1984 and 1994 being drier than I remember, and 1991 being stormier than I remember.

If you think this past June was hard to handle, just remember that I've directly dealt with worse. By the way, one thing I vividly remember about June 1989 was setting up a tent in my back yard and sleeping outside for a few nights after I got out of school for the summer. I had myself a back-yard camp-out despite the stormy weather that month. I remember more than once being nice and dry in the tent while a storm raged outside.

As for chilly weather, the low temperature on June 22, 1992 was 39°. That's OK; I had a jacket in my closet.

Apparently I'm a rare breed, because the weather never stopped me from having fun outside. Maybe my adaptability is why I don't understand all the wrist-slitting about the weather.

[bluecarebear]

Good. I am tired of rain and I don't want the snow either. Keep it up, El Nino!!!

[erieguy]

Using those full days of sunshine early in the year always catches up when you only get 50-60.

[charisb]

My grass is soooo brown.

[TwinbrookNine]

A persistent, often sub-synoptic "High" over central Ontario has repeatedly blocked rain over the past month, essentially north and east of a line from about Grand Rapids - Ft Wayne - Dayton - then eastward to about Wheeling, WVa. In lower Mich, now on several occasions, a well developed intense rain system has "mysteriously" frittered out after reaching Lansing, even during mid afternoon heating.

I've seen this pattern before. It typically ends in last week of August or early September with rainy systems gradually progressing intact, further east. Dry (and cooler than normal) Augusts are not all that unusual, but it looks like this August could be one. Be prepared to water the lawn.

BTW - this summer pattern often presages "a winter onset that is earlier, colder and snowier than usual." It is not predictive of the entire winter, however.