Season Story: January was exceptionally dry at all three sites — ADMS received just 0.42", LNCR 0.71", YORK 0.83", all well below normal. February rebounded modestly. March was the core wet season with LNCR leading at 3.91" and a series of frontal passages. April has been uneven — ADMS pacing ahead at 2.29" while LNCR has only reached 1.43". The January dry spell drove 30-day windows as low as 0.06" at ADMS — meteorological drought threshold territory.
Cumulative Precipitation — Jan 1 to Apr 26 (inches)
Daily Precipitation — All Sites (inches)
Rolling 30-Day Precipitation (inches) — Drought Signal
Monthly Precipitation Comparison (inches)
Soil Moisture Profile: ADMS shows a sharp January desiccation — SM5cm dropped from 26% to a season low of 14.8% during the extended dry spell, then surged above 38% following the February–March rain sequence. LNCR's surface layer (SM5) reached a low of 4.8% in late January — near wilting point — before recovering. Deep layers (40–50cm) have remained relatively stable at both sites throughout, buffered from surface variability. York soil sensors are offline (hardware issue — all nulls). Current surface moisture at ADMS (38.3%) is near the season high, reflecting yesterday's rain event.
ADMS · Soil Moisture by Depth (%) — Adams Co.
LNCR · Soil Moisture by Depth (%) — Lancaster Co.
Current Soil Moisture Profile — Apr 26
ADMS · Adams Co.
LNCR · Lancaster Co.
YORK · York Co.
Surface (5cm) vs Deep (50cm) Moisture Comparison — ADMS & LNCR
Solar Trend: All three sites show the expected seasonal ramp from ~100 W/m² daily mean in January to 220–290+ W/m² in mid-to-late April. York Co. (Red Lion) consistently runs higher than Adams and Lancaster — likely a combination of elevation (262m vs 114m for LNCR) and cleaner southern horizon. The mid-March peak (295 W/m² at ADMS on Mar 21) corresponds to the sunny period between frontal systems. April cloud cover from yesterday's event is visible as the sharp dip at the end of the record.
Daily Mean Solar Radiation — All Sites (W/m²)
Solar vs Precipitation Overlay — ADMS
7-Day Rolling Solar Mean — All Sites (W/m²)
Snowpack Proxy — Frozen Soil: None of these PEMN sites record snowfall or snow depth directly. Frozen soil temperature (5cm ≤ 33°F) serves as the best available proxy for snowpack presence. LNCR recorded 39 consecutive-and-scattered frozen soil days vs ADMS at 29, reflecting Lancaster's slightly lower elevation (114m vs 229m) — counterintuitive until you account for LNCR's more open aspect with greater radiative cooling. The extended frozen period at both sites Jan 20 – Feb 10 corresponds to the record cold spell (ADMS min temp 9.8°F on Jan 24). Soil at ADMS reached 31.7°F (below freezing), LNCR dipped to 29.5°F — a hard freeze that persisted for weeks.
Soil Temperature 5cm Depth (°F) — Frozen Threshold at 33°F
Air Temperature vs Soil Temp 5cm — ADMS
Snowpack Proxy Summary
Site
Min Soil Temp 5cm
Frozen Days (≤33°F)
Deepest Freeze Period
Air Temp Min
ADMS
31.7°F
29
Jan 20 – Feb 12
9.8°F (Jan 24)
LNCR
29.5°F
39
Jan 21 – Feb 14
7.9°F (Jan 31)
YORK
Soil sensors offline — no data
Note: Direct snow depth/snowfall not measured at these PEMN sites. Frozen soil temp is the best available proxy for snowpack presence. The Jan 25 event at your station (referenced in NEXRAD work) would have corresponded to the deepest freeze period above.
Drought Signal: January's near-zero precipitation drove the 30-day rolling total at ADMS down to 0.06" — consistent with D1 (Moderate Drought) conditions by SPI criteria. The surface soil at LNCR hit 4.8% SM at 5cm depth in late January, approaching field wilting point for most PA soil types (typically 8–15%). Recovery was driven by the Feb 20–21 storm system (ADMS 0.88" in 2 days) and the wet March sequence. Current status: recovered — 30-day precip is above 2" at all sites and soil moisture is at or above mid-season normals.
Rolling 30-Day Precipitation (in) + Drought Threshold Reference