FGUS71 KPBZ 281049 ESFPBZ PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032-282300- HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 649 AM EDT WED JUN 28 2006 DROUGHT/WATER RESOURCE STATEMENT ...THE DROUGHT WATCH FOR ALL OF PENNSYLVANIA ISSUED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION(DEP) CONTINUES... THE DROUGHT WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... FOREST VENANGO MERCER LAWRENCE BUTLER CLARION JEFFERSON ARMSTRONG INDIANA BEAVER ALLEGHENY WESTMORELAND WASHINGTON GREENE FAYETTE THE FOCUS OF A DROUGHT WATCH IS ON INCREASED MONITORING...AWARENESS AND PREPARATION FOR RESPONSE IF CONDITIONS WORSEN. A REQUEST FOR VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION IS ALSO MADE WITH AN OBJECTIVE OF REDUCING WATER USAGE BY 5 PERCENT. DROUGHT DECLARATIONS ARE BASED ON SEVERAL FACTORS INCLUDING: 1. STREAMFLOW LEVELS 2. PRECIPITATION 3. GROUNDWATER 4. SOIL MOISTURE (PALMER DROUGHT INDEX) 5. RESERVOIR STORAGE LEVELS A COOL SHOWERY WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE PAST WEEK, CONTINUES TO BRING RELIEF FROM THE TO THE DRY CONDITIONS CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE SPRING. THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR NO LONGER HAS THE REGION IN THE ABNORMALLY DRY CATEGORY. THE DROUGHT MONITOR OUTLOOK THROUGH SEPTEMBER IS FOR LITTLE CHANGE FROM CURRENT CONDITIONS. RAINFALL... DURING THE PAST 14 DAYS...RAINFALL ACROSS MOST OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA RANGED FROM 1.5 TO 4.0 INCHES. THIS REPRESENTS A DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL RANGING FROM NEAR NORMAL TO ABOUT 1.5 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. OVER THE PAST 60 DAYS RAINFALL IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS AVERAGED 4.5 TO 7.5 INCHES RANGING FROM 0.5 OF AN INCH ABOVE NORMAL TO 3.0 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. AT THE PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THE TOTAL RAINFALL FOR JUNE IS 4.12 INCHES WHICH 0.41 OF AN INCH BELOW NORMAL. DROUGHT INDICES... THE PALMER DROUGHT SEVERITY INDEX...WHICH INDICATES AREAS OF PROLONGED AND ABNORMAL MOISTURE DEFICIENCY OR EXCESS...SHOWS NEAR NORMAL CONDITIONS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE CROP MOISTURE INDEX...WHICH IS A MEASURE OF THE SHORT TERM CROP NEED VERSUS AVAILABLE WATER IN THE FIRST 5 FEET OF SOIL...INDICATES NORMAL CONDITIONS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. STREAM FLOWS AND GROUNDWATER... THE TWENTY-EIGHT DAY MOVING AVERAGE STREAM FLOWS AT UNITED STATES GEOLOGIC SURVEY (USGS) GAGES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ARE GENERALLY IN THE 25 TO 75 PERCENTILE RANGE WITH SOME GAGES IN THE BEAVER AND LOWER ALLEGHENY RIVER BASINS IN THE 76 - 90 PERCENTILE RANGE. FLOWS IN THE 25 TO 75 PERCENTILE RANGE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE NEAR NORMAL... AND FLOWS IN THE 76 - 90 PERCENTILE RANGE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ABOVE NORMAL.. SEVEN DAY AVERAGE STREAM FLOWS AT USGS GAGES ARE AT OR ABOVE NORMAL IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THIRTY DAY MOVING AVERAGES ARE NOW AT OR ABOVE NORMAL FOR ALL MONITORING WELLS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE WELLS IN WASHINGTON AND ALLEGHENY COUNTIES WHICH ARE BELOW NORMAL. RESERVOIR LEVELS... RESERVOIR LEVELS AT THE CORPS OF ENGINEER MULTI-PURPOSE RESERVOIRS ARE AT OR ABOVE NORMAL SUMMER POOL LEVELS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EAST BRANCH DAM IN THE CLARION RIVER BASIN WHICH REMAINS BELOW NORMAL. EXTENDED OUTLOOK... THE 8 TO 14 DAY FORECAST FOR JULY 5 - JULY 11 CALLS FOR NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RAINFALL. THE OUTLOOK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SUMMER IS FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE OR BELOW TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL. WATER CONSERVATION... PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO VOLUNTARILY RESTRICT THEIR USE OF WATER BY 5 PERCENT IN THE WATCH AREA. HERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT THE PA DEP SUGGEST PEOPLE DO: LIMIT VEHICLE WASHING WASH ONLY FULL LOADS IN DISH WASHERS AND CLOTHES WASHERS REPAIR ANY LEAKS IN FAUCETS INSTALL LOW FLOW SHOWER HEADS HOLD BACK ON WATERING LAWNS THE NEXT STATEMENT CONCERNING DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL BE ISSUED ON JULY 12. WJD $$