The Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network tracks ecosystem "vital signs" — including weather and climate — in national parks in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. This is its look at 2023 at Friendship Hill National Historic Site, using county data for Fayette County, Pennsylvania, going back to 1895, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate at a Glance program.
NPS photo
Weather or climate? Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere, from minutes to months — the rain, snow or sunshine outside right now. Climate is what to expect from patterns over 30 years or more. Climate is what you expect, like a hot summer; weather is what you get, like a warm rainy day.
2023 at a glance
- Temperature: well above normal — the 6th warmest year since 1895, averaging 52.0°F (+2.1°F).
- Precipitation: close to average — the 58th driest, with 44.3 inches, about 1.1 inches below the long-term average.
Temperature
Winter and fall were extremely warm; spring was quite cold. Eight months ran warmer than normal, with January, February and December each about 8°F above average.
| Month | Average (°F) | vs. 1895–2022 average |
|---|---|---|
| January | 36.7 | +8.9 |
| February | 38.3 | +8.8 |
| March | 39.6 | +1.1 |
| April | 51.6 | +2.5 |
| May | 55.4 | −3.7 |
| June | 63.5 | −3.6 |
| July | 72.2 | +1.3 |
| August | 68.9 | −0.5 |
| September | 64.1 | +0.7 |
| October | 54.2 | +2.0 |
| November | 40.4 | −0.6 |
| December | 39.3 | +8.0 |
Seasonal and annual temperature rankings (winter is January–March, spring April–June, summer July–September, autumn October–December). Image from the National Park Service
Precipitation
Winter and summer were wet; spring was very dry.
| Month | Total (in.) | vs. 1895–2022 average |
|---|---|---|
| January | 5.53 | +2.02 |
| February | 2.62 | −0.36 |
| March | 3.84 | −0.06 |
| April | 2.37 | −1.54 |
| May | 2.92 | −1.41 |
| June | 4.53 | −0.18 |
| July | 5.22 | +0.48 |
| August | 5.71 | +1.53 |
| September | 2.49 | −1.02 |
| October | 4.12 | +1.02 |
| November | 2.20 | −0.94 |
| December | 2.75 | −0.67 |
Seasonal and annual precipitation rankings. Image from the National Park Service
The long view
Since 1895, Fayette County's average annual temperature has risen about 0.05°F per decade, and annual precipitation about 0.33 inches per decade. National Park Service scientists project that by 2100 the park's average temperature will rise 3.1–9.2°F, from best case to worst, and annual precipitation 6–12%.
Annual average temperature and total precipitation, 1895–2023; dashed lines show the linear trends. Image from the National Park Service
Rapid climate change is challenging parks as never before — shifting wildlife migrations, more destructive storms threatening cultural resources and facilities, and disrupted habitats.
Sources
Based on "2023 Weather in Review: Friendship Hill National Historic Site," Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network, National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain. Data from NOAA's NClimDiv dataset.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.nps.gov
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