Rainfall

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The lack of rainfall in Franklin and Fulton counties is having a negative effect on crops, causing hardships for consumers and farmers such as Russell McLucas. Soybeans, corn and alfalfa are particularly at risk in Fulton County because they are some of the major crops there, said McLucas, who owns a farm north of McConnellsburg, Pa. "Alfalfa yields are off at least 50 percent - we normally get no less than four cuttings, five, I think the most this year will be three cuttings - we'll do very good to get 30 percent on alfalfa," he said.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - In two days, much of Franklin County received more rain than it would normally receive in a month, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorological technician Tony Mach said a weather observer in Upper Strasburg, Pa., reported 5.17 inches of rain fell Friday and Saturday. Another observer in South Mountain, Pa., called in to report rainfall of 4.4 inches. Weather service meteorologist Joe Villani said the average rainfall for the Harrisburg, Pa., area in October is 3.06 inches and that the figure for Franklin County would be comparable.

More than 2 inches of rain fell in 12 hours across the Tri-State area on Sunday, and the National Weather Service was encouraging people to watch for flooding of creeks and streams. Rainfall could reach 4 inches in some areas, the National Weather Service warned in a hazardous weather statement. Calvin Meadows, hydrometeorology technician, attributed the rainfall to an "upper-level low-pressure system ... that's centered up in the atmosphere," Meadows said. The National Weather Service forecasted a 90 percent chance of rain showers today, with more rain to follow throughout Tuesday.

Jymeisha Castle shows her muddy hands Friday after playing in the mud and mulch near her Halfway Manor home. Before evening storms rolled through the area, Friday's rainfall wasn't enough, so Jymeisha made her own mud.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Two significant rainstorms in the last week pushed the rainfall in the area just above normal for October, marking the second month in a row the region has had better-than-average rainfall. A storm pushing its way up the East Coast was responsible for the 1.52 inches of rain dumped on Waynesboro, Pa., Wednesday, weather observer Todd Toth said. Almost 2 inches of rain fell over Chambersburg's reservoirs, said Bruce McNew, assistant water and sewer superintendent for the borough.

scottb@herald-mail.com Heavy rainfall on Thursday led to a 200,000-gallon spill of partially treated pre-treated waste water into the Conococheague Creek, Washington County Public Works Director Gary Rohrer said Friday. Hagerstown and Shepherdstown, W.Va., officials said they did not have any problems resulting from higher water levels due to the storms. Greg Keefer, a Hagerstown weather observer, reported on his Internet site that about 1.62 inches of rain fell in Hagerstown on Thursday.

TRI-STATE -- Scattered showers on Monday combined with heavy rainfall Sunday to thoroughly soak the region and cause flooding that closed several roads and bridges in the Martinsburg, W.Va., area, emergency personnel and meteorologists said. The heavy rainfall brings the rainfall total so far this year to more than 15 inches in Hagerstown, several inches above the normal total at this point, according to data from Greg Keefer's Hagerstown weather station. The rainy weather is expected to continue with isolated showers today, but Wednesday should be sunny and warmer, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

TRI-STATE - Scattered showers on Monday combined with heavy rainfall Sunday to thoroughly soak the region and cause flooding that closed several roads and bridges in the Martinsburg, W.Va., area, emergency personnel and meteorologists said. The heavy rainfall brings the rainfall total this year to more than 15 inches in Hagerstown, several inches above the normal total at this point, according to data from Greg Keefer's Hagerstown weather station. The rainy weather is expected to continue with isolated showers today, but Wednesday should be sunny and warmer, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A temporary water system will allow the 122 students at Duffield Elementary School to return to their regular classrooms today, three days after the school's well ran dry. "We have the official word and sent it home with the students," Head Teacher Joann Young said Wednesday. She said a 1,500-gallon sanitized water tank has been connected to the school's filtering system and plumbing. The kindergarten through fifth-grade students had been bused to five other elementary schools in the Chambersburg Area School District while the temporary fix was put in place.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. - September could prove the driest on record unless serious storm clouds blow in soon. While forecasters had predicted an inch of rain would drop on the area Sunday, Franklin County missed the boat. Only .05 of an inch fell in Waynesboro, Pa., while Chambersburg, Pa., fared slightly better with .25 of an inch. "We sure missed it this time," said Todd Toth, who runs the weather center at Waynesboro High School.

Hagerstown has received just over 4 inches of rainfall in May, but half of that came in the past three days, according to local weather observer Greg Keefer's website, www.i4weather.net . Precipitation on Monday was almost 1.4 inches, followed by more than half an inch Tuesday night as thunderstorms rumbled through the area, Keefer's website said. Since midnight, a light rain added another 0.14 inches, it said. Average precipitation for May is 4.24 inches, according to the website.

But, 75 years ago, Mother Nature turned water into a malicious mad dog. In Williamsport, it ripped away buildings, destroyed bridges and sent people scrambling to the second floors of their homes. With no electricity, no telephone service and washed-out roads, many communities in the Tri-state area became isolated islands. When the rain ended after three days, what was left was life that follows weather — cleanup and resolve. It was the 1936 St. Patrick's Day Flood, one of the region's worst natural disasters.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Franklin and Fulton counties are among 16 Pennsylvania counties the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated as natural disaster areas because of a drought that started May 25. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the designation Sept. 3 based on statistical data about rainfall, according to Andrea Sharretts, executive director of Franklin County's USDA office. The declaration means farmers in affected areas are eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the USDA.

TRI-STATE - The remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna were just about enough to bring rainfall totals for the past month up to about normal in the Hagerstown area and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist. Total rainfall in the area had been about between 1 and 1 1/2 inches in the previous 30 days, about half of what the area normally would receive during this part of the year, said Mike Dangelo of the National Weather Service in State College, Pa. Hanna about wiped away that deficit with rainfall totals of 1.41 inches in Hagerstown, 1.43 inches in Martinsburg, W.Va.

TRI-STATE -- The remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna were just about enough to bring rainfall totals for the past month up to about normal in the Hagerstown area and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist. Total rainfall in the area had been about between 1 and 1 1/2 inches in the previous 30 days, about half of what the area normally would receive during this part of the year, said Mike Dangelo of the National Weather Service in State College, Pa. Hanna about wiped away that deficit with rainfall totals of 1.41 inches in Hagerstown, 1.43 inches in Martinsburg, W.Va.

TRI-STATE - Scattered showers on Monday combined with heavy rainfall Sunday to thoroughly soak the region and cause flooding that closed several roads and bridges in the Martinsburg, W.Va., area, emergency personnel and meteorologists said. The heavy rainfall brings the rainfall total this year to more than 15 inches in Hagerstown, several inches above the normal total at this point, according to data from Greg Keefer's Hagerstown weather station. The rainy weather is expected to continue with isolated showers today, but Wednesday should be sunny and warmer, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

More than 2 inches of rain fell in 12 hours across the Tri-State area on Sunday, and the National Weather Service was encouraging people to watch for flooding of creeks and streams. Rainfall could reach 4 inches in some areas, the National Weather Service warned in a hazardous weather statement. Calvin Meadows, hydrometeorology technician, attributed the rainfall to an "upper-level low-pressure system ... that's centered up in the atmosphere," Meadows said. The National Weather Service forecasted a 90 percent chance of rain showers today, with more rain to follow throughout Tuesday.

TRI-STATE -- Scattered showers on Monday combined with heavy rainfall Sunday to thoroughly soak the region and cause flooding that closed several roads and bridges in the Martinsburg, W.Va., area, emergency personnel and meteorologists said. The heavy rainfall brings the rainfall total so far this year to more than 15 inches in Hagerstown, several inches above the normal total at this point, according to data from Greg Keefer's Hagerstown weather station. The rainy weather is expected to continue with isolated showers today, but Wednesday should be sunny and warmer, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

Jymeisha Castle shows her muddy hands Friday after playing in the mud and mulch near her Halfway Manor home. Before evening storms rolled through the area, Friday's rainfall wasn't enough, so Jymeisha made her own mud.

The two inches of rain that fell on Washington County this weekend were most welcome in a year in which precipitation has been far below normal. This summer's dry weather underscores the need for a comprehensive look at the county's groundwater resources. Fortunately, state officials have already begun such an effort. The effort is most welcome. In an interview with The Herald-Mail's Marlo Barnhart, dairy farmer Donnie Beard likened the current conditions to those of 1999.