Well, that was it when it comes to rain for the week. Yesterday saw the weekly update of drought maps across our area, and as expected, we saw slight increases in "abnormally dry" conditions.  

Looking at the entire state, "abnormally dry" conditions increased to 32.06% of the state. That was up from 28.51% the previous week. The largest cluster of abnormally dry conditions extends from Indiana and Armstrong County up to Lake Erie and then over to Tioga and Bradford Counties in the center north of the state. All of Greene County, along with most of Beaver and Fayette Counties, is also "abnormally dry."

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The only way to see improving conditions is to get some decent rain showers moving through. It just doesn't look like it is going to happen this week, with yesterday seeing our best chance for rain. There were a couple of communities that radar estimates put up to around a tenth of an inch. Most communities are estimated to have seen less than five hundredths of an inch of rain, and that is backed up by surface reporting sites. 

Expect to see an increase in abnormally dry conditions across our area next Thursday as the weekly drought maps are released.  The data cutoff is on Tuesday morning, and we will be dry through then.

Dry conditions are also causing a spike in pollen levels right now. 

If you aren't feeling it yet and have a history of fall allergies, you'll be feeling it soon. Historically, the middle of September is the peak of ragweed pollen being released into the air. With the cooler weather we have been seeing, plants are starting early this year and pollen counts have already soared.  The dry conditions will keep pollen in the air for longer, allowing for really high levels to be in place going into September.

Getting back to today's forecast, highs today will hit the low 70s, and we may not even get back to 70°. Morning temperatures are a little warmer than they have been, as we should stay in the mid to upper 50s. There will be a little sunshine today, but I am going to call the skies overall mostly cloudy. Noon temperatures will be in the mid to upper 60s. Winds will be out of the northwest at around 10mph this afternoon.

Temperatures will slowly tick up over the next couple of days, with Saturday highs in the low 70s. Sunday highs should hit the mid to upper 70s, and I have us at 80 degrees for a high on Labor Day.  

Of note, Saturday morning will be chilly with Pittsburgh's low falling into the 40s and some other communities seeing lows in the low 40s. 

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