Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

The nearest weather station at Harrisburg Capital City Airport, 13 km away, recorded a mean daily high of 75.8°F over the past 30 days, 0.7°F above the 1991-2020 normal of 75.1°F, and a mean daily low of 58.5°F, 3.3°F above normal of 55.2°F. Above-normal temperatures in early October suggest a warmer-than-typical autumn so far at the ecosystem.

Monarch butterflies recorded October 1-2 at Raspberry Lane in Harrisburg, Vincent DeFilippo Nature Preserve in Cumberland, Kent Drive in Mechanicsburg, and Sterling Road in Harrisburg. The species is proposed threatened and currently migrating south; peak passage through Pennsylvania runs mid-September through early October as the super generation heads toward Mexican overwintering sites.

Spotted Lanternfly documented October 3 on Columbia Street in Middletown, Pennsylvania. This introduced species continues its established presence in the region; 14 sightings over the past month show active dispersal through late summer and early fall.

Gray Treefrog recorded October 4-5 in Mechanicsburg and York County. In Pennsylvania, the species is abundant and widespread statewide; early October sightings are consistent with post-breeding activity as temperatures cool and frogs prepare for winter dormancy.

Wingstem continues in bloom through early October, with the most recent observation on October 4, displaying its characteristic yellow daisy-like flowers. The tall native wildflower is in its expected late summer into fall bloom period, which typically runs July through October. Observations across the region show this species actively flowering.

A Wood Thrush was recorded at Mountain Road in Boiling Springs on October 1, during peak southbound migration. This species, listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern rangewide, has declined more than 50 percent since 1970 across its North American range.

Four Peregrine Falcons were observed at Waggoner's Gap on October 5, a traditional raptor migration site in Pennsylvania. Arctic breeding subspecies pass through the state in fall migration en route to Latin American wintering grounds.

A Ross's Goose was reported at Children's Lake on October 5, with nine separate observations confirming the sighting. This Arctic species is migrating through during its fall range, having departed Canadian breeding grounds by mid-October as part of its southward passage.

Month-to-date precipitation through September 22 is 1.8 inches, 0.7 inches below normal at Birmingham Airport. September 2025 in Jefferson County finished with 1.7 inches, 1.9 inches below normal and the 28th driest September on record since 1895, indicating a sustained dry pattern.

Fifty-five amphibian observations were recorded in the past 30 days including tree frogs, toads, and salamanders. Two sightings of Brownback Salamander (Eurycea aquatica) occurred on September 8, 2026, in the area. The brownback salamander dwells in isolated springs in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee where it occurs in natural freshwater springs typically abundant in watercress.