Penn State Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 873 Soil Climate Regimes of Pennsylvania College of Agricultural Sciences Soil Climate Regimes of Pennsylvania William J. Waltman, Edward J. Ciolkosz, Maurice J. Mausbach, Mark D. Svoboda, Douglas A. Miller, and Philip J. Kolb Penn State Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 873 April 1997 A cooperative project of the NRCS Soil Quality Institute and the Penn State Agricultural Experiment Station Soil Quality Institute, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa State University, Ames, IA National Soil Survey Center, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lincoln, NE ii SOIL CLIMATE REGIMES OF PENNSYLVANIA Correct Citation: Waltman, W.J., E.J. Ciolkosz, M. J. Mausbach, M.D. Svoboda, D. A. Miller, and P.J. Kolb. 1997. Soil Climate Regimes of Pennsylvania. Bulletin No. 873, Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Experiment Station, University Park, PA 16802. About the Authors William J. Waltman is GIS Specialist, Northern Plains Regional Office, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lincoln, NE. Edward J. Ciolkosz is Professor of Soil Genesis, Agronomy Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Maurice J. Mausbach is Director, Soil Quality Institute, Natural Resources Conservaton Service, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Mark D. Svoboda is Climate Resources Specialist, National Drought Mitigation Center, Department of Agricultural Meteorology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE. Douglas A. Miller is Research Associate, Earth System Science Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Phlip J. Kolb is Research Assistant, Earth System Science Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer. Copies of this publication are available from: Dr. Maurice J. Mausbach Director, Soil Quality Institute National Soil Tilth Laboratory 2150 Pammel Drive Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011 and College of Agricultural Sciences Mail Room 112 Agricultural Administration Building The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 WALTMAN, CIOLKOSZ, MAUSBACH, SVOBODA, MILLER, AND KOLB iii Contents List of Figures. iv List of Tables . iv Acknowledgments. iv Introduction . 1 Methodology . 1 Newhall Simulation Model . 1 Terrain Modeling . 3 Results and Discussion . 3 Precipitation Characteristics . 3 Moisture Deficit and Surplus . 7 Soil Moisture Regimes. 7 Temperature Characteristics . 14 Biological Windows . 14 Soil Climate Regimes . 18 Agro-Climatic Regions . 19 References . 19 Appendix 1: Comprehensive Listing of Weather Stations in Pennsylvania . 27 Appendix 2: Temperature and Precipitation Tables for Pennsylvania Weather Stations . 37 Appendix 3: Newhall Simulations for Pennsylvania Weather Stations . 131 iv SOIL CLIMATE REGIMES OF PENNSYLVANIA List of Figures Figure 1. Weather stations with 30-year normals in Pennsylvania ....................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Selected weather stations representing climatic extremes in Pennsylvania......................................................................... 6 Figure 3. Mean summer (June-July-August) water balance of Pennsylvania landscapes ................................................................... 8 Figure 4. Mean annual water balance of Pennsylvania landscapes....................................................................................................... 9 Figure 5. Potential evapotranspiration of Pennsylvania landscapes ................................................................................................... 10 Figure 6. Agricultural research sites in Pennsylvania .......................................................................................................................... 13 Figure 7. Moisture index of Pennsylvania landscapes .......................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 8. Frost-free period of Pennsylvania landscapes ....................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 9. Growing degree-days of Pennsylvania landscapes ................................................................................................................ 17 Figure 10. Biological windows of Pennsylvania landscapes ................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 11. Soil moisture regimes of Pennsylvania landscapes ............................................................................................................. 21 Figure 12. Soil temperature regimes of Pennsylvania landscapes ....................................................................................................... 22 Figure 13. Mean annual soil temperatures of Pennsylvania landscapes............................................................................................. 23 Figure 14. Soil climate regimes of Pennsylvania landscapes ............................................................................................................... 24 Figure 15. Agro-climatic regions of Pennsylvania ................................................................................................................................. 25 List of Tables Table 1. Climatic characteristics of Pennsylvania weather stations .......................................................................................... 3 Table 2. Summary of Newhall Model results for Pennsylvania weather stations based on 1961-1990 normals..................... 4 Table 3. Comparison of Newhall Simulation Model results for the Berks soils at Chambersburg 1 ESE and Williamsport WSO Airport, under varying water-holding capacities and with 1961 to 1990 normals ........................... 11 Table 4. Summary of soil moisture regimes during drought years at Towanda 1 ESE ........................................................... 11 Table 5. Comparison of drought years with the 1961 to 1990 normals at the Landisville Agronomy Farm.......................... 12 Table 6. Comparison of Newhall Simulation Model results for the Larson Agricultural Research Center (at Rock Springs) .................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Table 7. Proposed characteristics of ad hoc subdivisions for the Udic soil moisture regime .................................................. 18 Table 8. Summary of soil climate regimes of Pennsylvania ...................................................................................................... 18 Table 9. Summary of soil moisture regimes with ad hoc subdivisions for Pennsylvania weather stations ........................... 19 Acknowledgments The authors thank Dr. Maurice J. Mausbach, Director of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Quality Institute, and Dr. Charles Krueger for supporting this publication. Our special thanks also go to T.J. Nepple (National Soil Survey Center) for assistance with graphics and to Maria Lemon, Ph.D., of The Editor Inc., for editing and formatting the manuscript. We also extend our appreciation to D.J. Lytle (National Soil Survey Center) and H.R. Sinclair (National Soil Survey Center) for their support and guidance in the preparation of this manuscript. Introduction Methodology The landscapes of Pennsylvania reflect a com- Figure 1 gives the weather stations in Penn- plex history of geomorphic and climatic events, which sylvania with 1961 to 1990 normals for both pre- also have affected soil and ecosystem development cipitation and temperature (Owenby and Ezell, significantly. The interaction of soil, climate, and 1992). Appendix 1 provides a comprehensive list- landscape produces considerable natural resource ing of all weather stations in Pennsylvania. Ap- diversity, which Pennsylvania’s eight major land pendix 2 provides climate summaries from the resource areas (MLRAs) (Figure 1) encompass. Climate Data Access Facility (CDAF). All weather For many years (USDA, 1941), scientists have station data used in this report were obtained from recognized that orographic effects and rainshadows the USDA/NRCS CDAF and served as the source create many of Pennsylvania’s patterns of natural for modeling applications. and agro-ecosystems. Both global and local pro- Newhall Simulation Model cesses greatly affect Pennsylvania’s present climatic patterns. At the local scale, topography strongly The USDA Natural Resources Conservation influences precipitation, growing degree-days, and Service has used the Newhall Simulation Model frost-free periods, and landscape models can predict (NSM) to estimate soil moisture regimes in Soil