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Western Pennsylvania experiences 19th driest May on record

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Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter

Nelia Cook, left, and Cindy Linville enjoy a picnic lunch at Washington Park Wednesday afternoon. The friends, both of Washington, enjoy catching up over an outdoor (in the shade) lunch when the weather is warm and dry, as it has been all week.

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Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter

Swinging is nature’s air conditioning, and Ethan Bundy has a blast staying cool at Washington Park Wednesday afternoon. Bundy, of Denver, was visiting family in Washington and tried out the new playground.

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Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter

Ethan Bundy has a blast in the swing’s natural breeze Wednesday at Washington Park, where he and his mom, Katie Bundy, tried out the brand-new playground. The Bundy family, of Denver, was visiting family in Washington this unusually dry week.

Last month’s weather brought sunny skies, warm temperatures and low humidity. It also brought one of the driest months of May on record in the Pittsburgh region.

With just 1.73 inches of rain recorded last month, it was the 19th driest May in the 153 years of record-keeping, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.

“It’s not typical for it to be this dry, so in another couple of weeks, we’ll probably see the pattern change,” meteorologist Michael Brown said. “To be 19th driest is pretty significant. Maybe not extreme, but it’s definitely unusual in that sense.”

The last time the area saw so little rain in May was in 1986, when 1.67 inches of rainfall was recorded, according to the weather service.

There aren’t any serious issues being created from the drier weather – besides for maybe some thirsty yards – but it will likely continue for several more days before any rainfall is expected. Brown said while the rivers are running lower than usual, there is still “plenty of water” in the region’s reservoirs right now.

“So it’s not a problem at the moment. We’re not there yet, but it could be if it stays dry for a couple of more weeks,” Brown said.

In addition to the dry conditions that are expected to persist, Friday has a chance to hit 90 degrees for the first time this year, Brown said. The humidity will remain low, so it won’t be oppressively hot, although Brown still suggested that people hydrate and take other precautions if working outdoors.

“When it’s dry for a while, we will tend to get lower humidity air,” he said. “It will still be hot and sunny, too. Even with the (low) heat index, it will be hot.”

But even with the lack of rainfall last month, Brown said the region isn’t in danger of drought or wildfires.

“It’s pretty hard to get a wildfire when everything is green because trees still retain a lot of moisture,” he said. “Drought usually takes a couple of months for really dry weather to become ‘drought-stressed.'”

There is a slight chance for rain Monday, but the weekend should be clear for outdoor chores or day-trip adventures. As many longtime Western Pennsylvania residents know, a stretch this long without cloudy skies and rain is something to celebrate.

“It’s rare to have this much dry weather in Pittsburgh, so I’d definitely take advantage of it,” Brown said.

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