Pa. hunting weather forecast for opening day: Rain could impact hunters across state

Opening day of rifle season in Pennsylvania is less than a week away. That means it's officially acceptable to start fretting about the forecast for Monday.

Weather plays a key part in hunting for many reasons, so let’s check out how Monday could look for hunters across the state.

Rain

Unfortunately for hunters, the weather is going to be much nicer on Sunday when you’re sighting in your gun than it is on Monday when you’re sitting in your tree stand.

Early indications are that rain could develop Monday after a partly sunny and warm Sunday.

The rain could begin in the western part of the state as the sun is coming up, resulting in a wet morning for hunters. But the storm could sweep across the state, making the afternoon a little rainier for south-central and eastern Pennsylvania hunters.

“If people are hunting near the Alleghenies, Johnstown or Somerset, there is probably rain coming in soon after day break,” said Eric Horst, Director of Millersville University’s Weather Information Center. “Hunters in the eastern part of the state could have a dry morning and then they start to get wet later on in the day.”

Wind

Wind can affect deer movement, scents in the woods and overall ability to spot wildlife. Although storms could come through on Monday, the wind shouldn’t be too much of a factor.

“At this point, the storm that is bringing the rain across the state does not look like a wind-driven rain,” Horst said. “The wind could be 5-10 mph. I would wouldn’t expect big gusts.”

Ground conditions

If there are a lot of dry, dead leaves on the ground, hunters can hear deer coming from greater distances. But coming with the rush of warm air this weekend is a round of storms that will soften the ground in some areas on Saturday.

“If you look at the northern part of the state that got 10-12 inches (of snow) last week, and could get more snow this weekend, there could be some lingering snow. But, with Sunday’s higher temperatures, that snow could melt and create soggy grounds on Monday morning,” Horst said.

In central Pennsylvania, Horst believes the leaves could return to a crispy state by early Monday.

 “Sunday will be partly sunny, and that could help dry the grounds in south-central Pennsylvania.

Snow

Most hunters love when there is a dusting of snow on the ground. It helps them notice animal movement better and can help them identify a deer much farther out.

However, only a few spots in the state might have snow on the ground come Monday morning.

“At elevation, there could be some snow on Monday,” Horst said. “If you’re hunting in the valleys of western Pennsylvania, probably not. But if you’re hunting in a forest up in the plateau, there could still be some snow on the ground.”

Overall temperature 

Sunday could reach the mid-50s in some parts of the state. But that should drop come Monday morning when you're headed into the woods. Anticipate temperatures ranging from 35-45 degrees throughout the day. 

More:Pennsylvania's Sunday deer hunting ban is in the crosshairs: Could it change?

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