Pittsburgh is set for another slice of dry and warm weather today under the steadfast gaze of high pressure. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, these conditions will continue through Monday. However, forecasts highlight the return of rain chances come Tuesday as a slow-moving low pressure makes its presence known.
The high-pressure system, in the near term, is keeping things comfortable with today's highs expected to come in just a notch lower than Saturday's, the slight dip attributable to cooler 850mb temperatures while overnight, light easterly winds have ensured the mercury stayed a little higher than anticipated across certain locales, and as we push into the evening, fire weather gets a nod in the forecast given the low RH levels particularly south of Rt 422, the NWS points to these factors as the architects behind the pleasantly persistent dry spell.
Looking ahead to Monday and beyond, the stage remains set for dryness and warmth before change looms. The high pressure begins to shuffle eastward Monday night into Tuesday, making way for a developing low traversing through the Carolinas, which could become tropical before moving onshore. The NWS discussions indicate a trending westward path that could see it approaching the Lower Ohio Valley by Tuesday, casting increasing chances of rains over the region as we transition into Tuesday night, and though the exact dance of the system remains a bit of a guesswork, a general cooling to more seasonable temperatures is expected by Tuesday.
The long game promises a mixed bag as the NWS ensembles suggest the upper low hanging around the Ohio Valley and Eastern CONUS through the latter half of the week, ensuring shower chances keep a fairly steady rhythm through Friday yet certainty on the track and timing details are as elusive as ever, the tail end of the week however potentially gifts a respite with a ridge that is anticipated to build again and sweep the area with a return of dry weather, and while the thermometer readings are projected to hover near seasonable levels, plenty of ambiguity about the details persists.
For those with an eye toward the skies or a flight plan in hand, you're in the clear for now, as our ever-present high pressure upholds VFR conditions through Monday, but come Tuesday through Thursday, occasional restrictions and showers may join the fray as the low-pressure trudges from the Carolina coast toward our neck of the woods, so keep an eye out for the changing scene above.
