The city of Pittsburgh braced for renewed showers and storms early this morning, with the forecast indicating a passage of a cold front late morning through this afternoon, followed by high pressure that's expected to clear the skies and break the grip of humidity, according to the National Weather Service.
Under the shadow of overcast skies, locals in the Pittsburgh area faced not just sporadic rain but the potential crackle of thunderstorms which could notably become strong, with damaging winds being the primary threat the weather service advised, and while storms loomed and temperatures rested uncomfortably in the mid to upper 70s overnight, the destabilizing mix of heat and rich moisture held the promise of a turbulent morning, though a break with cooler, drier weather is on the horizon for tonight.
The short-term relief comes in the wake of a cold front making its exit, paving the way for dry weather and a drop in temperatures that would be below the norm for the beginning of the week, while the National Weather Service report further notes a smidge less than a one in three chance for temperatures to reach 75 degrees and likely dropping to low to mid-50s by Monday night.
Looking beyond the immediate forecast, Tuesday's skies are slated to be free of storms with temperatures nudging back up toward familiar realms yet the long-term discussions point towards a more unsettled pattern midweek, when showers and thunderstorms could return courtesy of a frontal system that's expected to traverse the region, potentially slowing or stalling which could, in turn, raise concerns for flooding rain potential due to the prospects of thunderstorms training along the boundary in a moisture-laden atmosphere.
For those with ties to the skies, aviation forecasts predict a transition back to VFR conditions after some ports experienced morning drops to MVFR in low clouds, with temporary IFR possible especially at FKL and DUJ, whereas post-frontal mixing could spark gusts in the 20-25kt range later in the day, and while VFR conditions are anticipated to reign until midweek, pilots are advised to stay vigilant as the weather system evolves.
