While the Valley is technically not in a drought, the drier than normal conditions during the second half of spring are starting to have some ramifications. Stream and river levels are running below normal in many locations within the Ohio River watershed.
The map below shows the current stream flow conditions for all of the major tributaries for the Ohio River. You will notice that there are multiple orange and red dots which are stream locations where the flow is below normal.
Specifically, the orange dots represent streamflow that is characterized as “below normal” or around the 10th to 24th percentile. The maroon dots represent flow that is “much below normal” or less than the 10th percentile. The bright red dots are stream flows that are extremely low. The lower the percentile value, the weaker the streamflow.
There are weak stream flows in northeastern Ohio, but the driest conditions by far are located in western Pennsylvania where many streams are running well below normal.
Here is a look at some streams and rivers of interest around the Valley:
Beaver Falls, PA: 4.73%
Little Shenango River at Greenville, PA: 7.48%
Beaver Creek at East Liverpool, OH: 14.71%
Mahoning River below West Avenue: 24.77%
No relief in sight
Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any relief from the dry conditions in the near term. May is likely to end on a dry note with above average temperatures and this will continue into the early part of June.
High temperatures this next week will rise into the upper 80s on several days and the first 90 degree values of the year will be possible across the Valley.
The above average temperatures will work in tandem with a lack of rainfall to promote further decreased stream flows this week. The Storm Team 27 Future Tracker shows no rainfall accumulation over the Valley through next Saturday.
Hopefully mother nature will bring the area some precipitation in the coming weeks.
