“There are plants we water twice a day, like the hibiscus. There’s a lot to water, Ban said: trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals for graduation parties, late zinnias, baby mums, plug trays for fall crops, such as cabbage and broccoli, and more. “It’s somebody’s job every day just to water,” said Linda Ban, manager of Kiski Garden Center in Allegheny Township. Sunny, bright blue skies with only a dab of puffy clouds have made for an idyllic summer for some, but their charm has faded for gardeners, farmers and nurseries. The multiple sunny days in June and July were not terribly typical of Pittsburgh either, Brown added.Ībnormally dry conditions expanded over much of northern Pennsylvania in the past week, according to the U.S. Expect more high temperatures for the rest of the month, as the last two weeks of July are the region’s hottest time of year. It is hotter, too: In July as of Thursday, the average temperature of 75.4 is 2.5 degrees above average, Brown said. The Pittsburgh region has been a little dryer than normal, receiving just 3 inches of rain for June rather than the average of a little more than 4 inches, he said. However, if there is little to no rain for the next week, the region and more parts of Western Pennsylvania could reach “abnormally dry” status, which is a low-grade drought, said Michael Brown, a meteorologist with the weather service. Officially, Southwestern Pennsylvania is not in a drought, according to the National Weather Service. He reports some stunted growth in soybeans it’s too early to know the status of sweet corn. “We’re praying for rain,” said Justin Brackenrich, a Penn State Extension agronomist based in Butler County. Backyard gardeners and nursery workers are watering like crazy, an area nursery halted tree installations and crop experts are on alert - all because of this summer’s unusually hot, dry weather.

Maple valley weather conditions