Wet Forest - Formerly Known as Dry Forest

[dragoncjo]

I’ve never seen the pines and surrounding areas this dry in 20 years. I’ve visited quite a few of my usual spring spots and many ponds are empty and many wetlands already drying up. Last summer was so dry and this winter and spring havent provide much replenishing. If we continue at this pace we are gonna some problems. At this point we need about 12-16 inches of rain to catch up from what I can tell. Spent the entire day outside today and didn’t hear a single toad, spring peeper, wood, carpenter or leopard frog. Even at night not hearing many spring peepers. We desperately need a big multi day rainstorm.

 

[Teegate]

Jessica and I were discussing this past weekend that we had not heard a peeper.

 

[Boyd]

It's dry down here in Atlantic/Cumberland Counties, but not that dry. Was driving through Peaslee this morning and there were still some mud puddles. Stephen Creek flows through my property and it's somewhat low, but nowhere near the lows I've seen on several other years since moving here in 2006.

But the air sure was dry today, 16% humidity when I went out at 5:00 PM, that's about as low as it gets around here. With the breeze, it made the 83 degree temperature quite pleasant though.

 

[dragoncjo]

I think southern counties have gotten hit by some more storms than up this way. I know the storms last Thursday hit more down that way.

 

[NJChileHead]

I’ve never seen the pines and surrounding areas this dry in 20 years. I’ve visited quite a few of my usual spring spots and many ponds are empty and many wetlands already drying up. Last summer was so dry and this winter and spring havent provide much replenishing. If we continue at this pace we are gonna some problems. At this point we need about 12-16 inches of rain to catch up from what I can tell. Spent the entire day outside today and didn’t hear a single toad, spring peeper, wood, carpenter or leopard frog. Even at night not hearing many spring peepers. We desperately need a big multi day rainstorm.

Yes I agree, it's bad and the past two weeks were warm and dry. Hopefully this trend breaks. We're supposed to have some decent rain tonight and again tomorrow evening so I hope that helps.

Anecdotally, I have seen and heard frogs though (carpenter, leopard, peeper), and a friend of mine who is also a regular herper in the Pine Barrens has told me that he's been hearing them. BTW, how often do you find wood frogs in the interior Pine Barrens? I've only found them on the periphery.

 

[Boyd]

There are a variety of warnings right now for portions of the Pines...

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
419 PM EDT Sat Apr 15 2023

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
Northwestern Burlington County in southern New Jersey...
Central Camden County in southern New Jersey...

* Until 830 PM EDT.

* At 419 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of
rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are
possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected
to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets, and underpasses as well as other
drainage and low lying areas.

* Some locations that may experience flash flooding include...
Evesham, Mount Laurel, Willingboro, Voorhees, Medford, Lindenwold,
Lumberton, Mount Holly, Berlin, Chesilhurst, Marlton Lakes, and
Marlton.

This includes the following highways...
New Jersey Turnpike between exits 4 and 5.
Interstate 295 in New Jersey between mile markers 38 and 50.

-----------

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
419 PM EDT Sat Apr 15 2023

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
Northwestern Burlington County in southern New Jersey...
Central Camden County in southern New Jersey...

* Until 830 PM EDT.

* At 419 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of
rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are
possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected
to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets, and underpasses as well as other
drainage and low lying areas.

* Some locations that may experience flash flooding include...
Evesham, Mount Laurel, Willingboro, Voorhees, Medford, Lindenwold,
Lumberton, Mount Holly, Berlin, Chesilhurst, Marlton Lakes, and
Marlton.

This includes the following highways...
New Jersey Turnpike between exits 4 and 5.
Interstate 295 in New Jersey between mile markers 38 and 50.

--------------

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
416 PM EDT Sat Apr 15 2023

NJC005-PAC017-101-152030-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0033.000000T0000Z-230415T2030Z/
Burlington NJ-Bucks PA-Philadelphia PA-
416 PM EDT Sat Apr 15 2023

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 PM EDT
FOR NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON...SOUTHEASTERN BUCKS AND NORTHEASTERN
PHILADELPHIA COUNTIES...

At 416 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Willingboro, or
12 miles east of Camden, moving north at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Trained weather spotters. At 4:05 PM, an NWS employee
reported quarter-sized hail in Mount Laurel, NJ.

IMPACT...Minor damage to vehicles is possible.

Locations impacted include...
Philadelphia, Bensalem, Mount Laurel, Willingboro, Medford,
Lumberton, Florence, Burlington, Bristol, Mount Holly, Riverside,
Beverly, Tullytown, Florence-Roebling, Marlton, Jacksonville,
Andalusia, Ramblewood, Feasterville-Trevose and Levittown.

This includes the following highways...
New Jersey Turnpike between exits 5 and 6A.
Pennsylvania Turnpike between mile markers 350 and 359.
Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 33 and 40.
Interstate 295 in New Jersey between mile markers 38 and 54.

 

[Teegate]

Thundering here.

 

[dragoncjo]

I was down in Cumberland county but it seemed like we got quite a lot of rain in Shamong.

 

[Boyd]

Was watching the radar but the storms never quite made it to me, we only got some sprinkles here.

 

[bobpbx]

Drove on down to 539. Seems the bulk of it was here, but they backfired from some parts of 539, and also likely prescribed burn earlier, so who knows!

 

[Gibby]

I was in Parker and Wharton for most of today. It doesn't even look like any rain even fell through that region. The ground soaked everything up. There were only a few small puddles. Every stream was still lower than usual. The aquifer and water through the region must be more complex of a system than I can understand. I was expecting wet feet!

 

[Teegate]

I think that fire was last week or the week before Bob. Then again I may be wrong.

 

[bobpbx]

I think that fire was last week or the week before Bob. Then again I may be wrong.

No, there were areas smoking and two fire trucks were going around and putting out spot fires. And where I have the crosshairs (approx), there was a big flare up and the trucks were trying to find it. Here they are putting flare ups out.

PS: my actual photos 'may' be last week, like I said, who knows as it's all blending together.

 

[Teegate]

PS: my actual photos 'may' be last week, like I said, who knows as it's all blending together.

That happens to me more and more

 

[bobpbx]

That happens to me more and more

I took the photos of blackened woods today, I meant that area I photographed may have been prescribe burned last week.

 

[manumuskin]

Went frog recording with Whipoorbill last night down Back Neck near Sea breeze,Peepers,Fowler Toads and Grey treefrogs out strong,think I heard a couple leopards in the distance as well. Listened fro Green Treefrogs but think it's still too early for them

 

[Boyd]

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
309 PM EDT Mon Apr 17 2023

NJZ013-014-020-022-025>027-180915-
Western Monmouth-Eastern Monmouth-Ocean-Atlantic-Coastal Atlantic-
Coastal Ocean-Southeastern Burlington-
Including the cities of Freehold, Sandy Hook, Jackson, Hammonton,
Atlantic City, Long Beach Island, and Wharton State Forest
309 PM EDT Mon Apr 17 2023

...Elevated risk for fire spread Tuesday due to dry and gusty
conditions...

The combination of west winds around 20 gusting up to 30 mph along
with afternoon minimum relative humidity levels as low as 30 to 35
percent will result in an increasing threat for fire growth and
spread for Tuesday.

 

[dragoncjo]

Al are the pbtf still at

Yes I agree, it's bad and the past two weeks were warm and dry. Hopefully this trend breaks. We're supposed to have some decent rain tonight and again tomorrow evening so I hope that helps.

Anecdotally, I have seen and heard frogs though (carpenter, leopard, peeper), and a friend of mine who is also a regular herper in the Pine Barrens has told me that he's been hearing them. BTW, how often do you find wood frogs in the interior Pine Barrens? I've only found them on the periphery.

People find them in core barrens but I typically see them on periphery. They are in my yard in Shamong and locally around here.

Seems the peepers are picking up now, Saturdays rains got them going.

 

[manumuskin]

Al are the pbtf still at


People find them in core barrens but I typically see them on periphery. They are in my yard in Shamong and locally around here.

Seems the peepers are picking up now, Saturdays rains got them going.

They were last year (The place you showed me).We didn't go there yet this year,thought it a bit early for them,was going to wait till a bit warmer.We thought when they went through cutting all the trees it would have wiped them out but it didn't,they showed up in the water and in the grass. Will let you know when I go down there what i find.

 

[smoke_jumper]

Sounds like a fire in Washington Twp. Burlington County near River Road. I saw engines heading dow 206 from Mt Holy.