March 27, 2025
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs remain in a drought despite a rainy March that brought above-average precipitation for the first time since last summer. The image above is a file photo.
Philadelphia has received about 4 inches of rain in March, making it the first month since August that the city has had above-average precipitation. But it's going to take steadier rainfall for the city to shake the drought status that has been in place since September.
The March precipitation accounts for more than half of the 7 inches that have fallen in Philadelphia since the beginning of the year. That's 2 inches below the average amount of 9 inches for that time.
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"Part of the reason that we are still in a drought is that we are still in a deficit as far as precipitation goes over the course of a year," said Amanda Lee, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Mount Holly station. "At the end of last year for Philly, we had a below average amount of precipitation."
September is usually the rainiest month of the year in Philadelphia, closely followed by July and August. The three months each usually average 4 to 4 1/2 inches of rain. Last July came in about 2 inches below average and last August ended less than an inch above average. In September, only about 3/4 inch fell, and October had no measurable rainfall.
"When you have several successive months of below normal precipitation, we're just inching our way back closer to normal," Lee said.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, which assesses and grades the severity of drought conditions, has Philadelphia County in a moderate drought. The five-county region remains in a severe drought, which is one tier higher. All of Chester and Delaware counties remain in a severe drought. Most of Montgomery County is in a severe drought, and the majority of Bucks County is in a moderate drought.
In South Jersey, drought conditions are moderate in most of Camden and Burlington counties, but most of Gloucester County is in a severe drought — and a sliver is in an extreme drought.
"Seven-day average streamflow from the U.S. Geological Survey continues to reflect long-term drought impacts, and in many cases, groundwater shortages persist," Brad Rippey, meteorologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said of the region's outlook.
Groundwater levels and precipitation are the primary factors used to assess drought levels, but meteorologists rely on long-range precipitation trends to put recent rainfall in context. Rippy, whose work supports the U.S. Drought Monitor, said the rainfall in Philly this March has been welcome but not enough to exit a drought.
"Even with respectable rainfall events in Philadelphia on March 5, 16-17, 20, and 23-24, totaling a little over 4 inches, precipitation is barely above normal for the month to date," Rippy said. "So, although it may appear wetter on the surface, it is taking time for that moisture to replenish subsoil moisture reserves and aquifers, which is leading to ongoing low streamflow."
Moderate drought conditions can strain water supplies, local wildlife and agriculture. Philadelphia was still in a severe drought in February, though that was an improvement on the extreme drought grade Philadelphia received at the end of last year.
"It's generally been very slowly improving throughout the year with more consistent rainfall, following an extremely dry period," Lee said.
Although it's typical to see precipitation pick up during the spring, more consistency will be crucial in the coming months. At the moment, the chances appear to be a toss-up.
"There are multiple patterns that we see with the atmosphere, and each of them can be cyclical in their own ways," Lee said. "How they interact with one another can dictate what we see overall. Looking at the next three months, the current climatological outlook gives us about equal chances of having above normal and below normal precipitation."
The recent streak of rain is threatening to postpone the Phillies home opener Monday at Citizens Bank Park. Rain is expected to arrive Sunday night and break for the early part of Monday before returning in the afternoon and continuing into the night. The game is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. In the event of a postponement, the game would be rescheduled for Tuesday, which is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high of 56 degrees.
"For any outdoor activities on Monday, the forecast is not looking too great at the current time," Lee said.
