Drought in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Drier than average conditions over the course of multiple months lead to the addition of severe (D2) drought across conditions persisted across much of eastern Lancaster County during the second half of April 2026. Drier than average conditions were observed throughout the first half of the month with generally light rainfall across the region with slightly more beneficial rainfall coming in the final week of the month. The Drought Warning was downgraded to a Drought Watch by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on April 27, 2026 after the aforementioned beneficial rainfall.

Anomalously dry conditions persisted across much of central Pennsylvania through April 2026, with severe drought persisting across portions of southern Pennsylvania with slight expansion into southeastern Pennsylvania towards the latter portions of the month due to lack of widespread rainfall, with month-to-date precipitation values generally one inch below average for the month of April across the southeastern half of Pennsylvania.