Today's barometric pressure in Scranton, a 48-hour pressure chart, and a risk score for weather-triggered migraine and headache, based on pressure drops, humidity, and temperature changes.
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Scranton lies in the Lackawanna Valley within Pennsylvania's ridge-and-valley province, where parallel ridges run northeast to southwest for a hundred miles. Pressure averages 989 hPa at 230 metres, and the valley walls shape local conditions as much as any weather system.
Worst season for migraines: February, December and January. Cold-season systems crossing the Appalachians slow as they navigate the ridge structure, which stretches out the duration of each pressure change. Coastal storms reaching this far inland add a second and sharper pattern.
Common triggers in Scranton: persistent valley floor inversions, slow frontal transit across the ridges, cold air damming east of the Appalachians. Ridge-and-valley terrain produces strong local variation, with valley floors holding cold air while ridge tops sit in milder air above. Scranton's valley floor experiences temperature inversions through much of the winter. Storms have to work over the ridges to reach the valley, arriving weakened but slower, so the barometric change tends to be gradual rather than sharp.
Typical pressure: Scranton averages 989 hPa at rest, measured at the city's own elevation rather than corrected to sea level, and storm systems can push readings down to 971 hPa. Swings of 6-14 hPa over 24 hours are common during active weather and fall within the range most associated with pressure-triggered migraines.
2026 index: Scranton is not one of the 100 metros ranked in our 2026 U.S. Migraine Risk Index, which shows how they compare.
Can Scranton weather trigger migraines?
Yes. Scranton experiences 6-14 hPa barometric pressure swings, and research shows pressure drops are one of the most common migraine triggers. The city's specific patterns include persistent valley floor inversions, slow frontal transit across the ridges, cold air damming east of the Appalachians.
What time of year are migraines worst in Scranton?
In Scranton the most barometrically volatile stretch of the year falls in February, December and January. That is when weather is most likely to play a part, if weather is a trigger for you at all. See when migraine weather season starts across the U.S.
Is there a barometric pressure headache forecast for Scranton?
This page works as one. Many people call a headache that arrives with a weather change a barometric pressure headache, and this forecast tracks the pressure drops, humidity and temperature swings behind that idea. The score covers the next 24 hours in Scranton and the chart shows the next 48. It is built on migraine research, so treat it as a rough guide for other headaches. A sudden, severe headache needs urgent medical care, whatever the weather.
Your own forecast
This page shows the weather risk for everyone in Scranton. The MigrAid app learns yours. It saves the barometric pressure, humidity and temperature with every migraine you log, shows whether Scranton's swings really line up with your attacks, and alerts you when conditions match your own trigger history.