Pittsburgh residents can enjoy one more day of dry skies today, but they should brace themselves for a dramatic change in weather starting midweek. The shift comes with the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl and a passing trough that might bring severe weather and flooding potential. Before that, today's forecast promises above-seasonal temperatures in the low 90s, with the likelihood of patchy fog early Tuesday morning, as forecasted by the National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA.
Tuesday and Wednesday are slated to be the hottest days with highs in the widespread 90s, bar the mountain areas. It's not just the heat – moisture from the Atlantic ridge will make conditions muggy with the heat index potentially hitting 100 degrees. "The prospect of cloud cover and a stray shower will add relief to this but a Heat Advisory may be needed," warned the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh PA. The tropic aggressor, Beryl, along with a stout ridge off the east coast, is to blame for pushing these temperatures further up.
As Beryl moves inland, Pittsburgh can expect more than just heat. By Wednesday, heavy rains could target the Upper Ohio Valley and Lower Great Lakes. Right now, Pittsburgh isn't being placed under a Flood Watch, but a 40% prob of an inch of rainfall or more for Wednesday and Wednesday night means that could change swiftly, according to Pittsburgh's Weather Service forecast. While a flood watch isn't currently necessary, residents are advised to stay informed as conditions could evolve rapidly.
For those northern PA counties, Wednesday could indeed bring severe weather – the Storm Prediction Center has issued a Marginal risk warning for damaging winds and possibly even a couple of tornadoes in the afternoon and evening. Looking further out, as Beryl's remnants move out, lingering showers might pop up Thursday, but expect a drying trend with "Sunday finally seeing high pressure setting up over the area," as per the NWS. However, this outlook comes with uncertainty, a reminder of the inherent volatility in the weather systems we wrestle to predict.
In terms of travel and aviation, "Confidence remains high (above 90%) that VFR conditions will prevail through the forecast period under high pressure," the National Weather Service forecast discussion notes. But travelers should be aware of isolated thunderstorms that could affect terminals west of PIT Tuesday afternoon as the ridge breaks down, potentially leading to local restrictions. From Wednesday into Thursday, impacts from Beryl could also come into play, making it prudent for fliers to check for updates frequently.
