September’s Centre County rainfall is already historic. Here’s where it ranks — and why it’s so high
Local flash floods and storm warnings have rankled Centre County residents this month — and, based on official data, this September already ranks as one of State College’s wettest on record.
According to Dave Dombek, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, this month’s historic rainfall (6.66 inches) already ranks it sixth all-time when it comes to State College’s wettest Septembers since about 1896, based on the official precipitation data recorded on Penn State’s campus. The normal September rainfall is about 3.95 inches.
“Given the pattern we’re looking at right now, the chances are pretty good that between now and the end of the month, it’s not going to rain a whole lot more,” Dombek told the CDT late Friday afternoon. “That can change, but there’s not a whole lot we’re looking at for at least the next three or four days, or four or five days.”
September is usually a relatively dry month, Dombek said. The difference this year comes as a direct result of two heavy storms and two especially heavy days of rainfall.
On Sept. 1, State College experienced 2.27 inches of precipitation as a direct result of Tropical Storm Ida — and, on Wednesday, it saw 2.82 inches due to “a perfect setup” of a strong, slow-moving system and a moist air mass. (The eastern part of the county was hit considerably harder.) Without those two days, State College would have less than half its usual September rainfall.
When asked for the reason behind those storms, Dombek said part of it is simply a byproduct of now being the peak time for hurricane/tropical storm season.
“If you get the combination of an active pattern with a lot of storms and the overall pattern ... conducive to bringing these systems after they make landfall and they have gobs of tropical moisture with it, you can get a lot of rain,” he added. “Especially if it interacts with some other system that’s already here, like a front that’s stalled over us.”
County residents have mostly been spared by consistent rainfall this month, as 13 of 24 days have been completely dry. Compare that to 2018, which saw the fourth-highest rainfall (8.74 inches) and experienced only 11 days without measurable precipitation.
Among the five Septembers since at least 1896 with the most rainfall, per Dombek: 1. 1996 (11.03 inches); 2. 2004 (10.57 inches); 3. 2011 (8.89 inches); 4. 2018 (8.74 inches); and 5. 2003 (7.21 inches).
Based on AccuWeather’s weekend forecast, as of Friday afternoon, Saturday should be dry with times of clouds and sunshine while Sunday should be mostly sunny. Highs should range between 66 and 70 degrees, respectively.
No storms are expected.
County assessing damage from flooding
After the Centre County Commissioners approved a declaration of disaster emergency on Thursday due to heavy rain and flooding, damage assessment teams were in the greater Penns Valley area Friday recording damages. In a statement, the commissioners asked anyone affected by the flooding to contact the county’s Office of Emergency Services during regular business hours at 814-355-6745.
