With high pressure in the driver's seat, Pittsburgh's weather looks to be sailing on smooth seas into early next week, promising dry conditions and comfortably above-average temperatures. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, sunny skies are expected today, and highs across the region will tip-toe into the mid-to-upper 60s.
Today's forecast, a stark contrast to the near 50-degree highs just two days prior, has the mercury set to possibly hit 70 degrees – a temperature not entirely off the table. The NWS highlights that the city's Thursday high of 61 was north of the 95th percentile on the 07z NBM and was in the 90th percentile from the 13z run. Despite a lower sun angle and shorter days, this dose of warmth is a welcome aberration. However, the frost advisories, a remnant of chillier times, are expected to end at 9 AM this morning.
Looking toward the weekend, pristine conditions seem to be sticking around, with ensemble clusters showing little deviation from a pattern of strong upper ridging and surface high pressure. This agreeable setup means Pittsburgh can anticipate a beautiful October weekend to enjoy any seasonal outdoor festivities, with 500 mb height anomalies reaching up to +2.5 SD up to 590 dm and probabilities for 850 mb temperatures >12C sitting at 70-90%.
Regarding aviation, general VFR conditions should persist under high pressure through the weekend and into early next week. The only brief hiccup may be river valley fog near FKL. Otherwise, clear skies will follow. Mother Nature has dialed in a few extra degrees of warmth for Pittsburgh and surrounding areas to savor before the week turns a new leaf.
Frost and freeze warnings had been in effect, but these advisories have since lapsed as of 9 AM this morning. It's worth noting that Saturday night might be the last of the frost/freeze concerns for Pittsburgh, at least for the foreseeable week, with probabilities for <36F hovering around 40-60% outside of urban areas.
Pittsburgh residents can refer to the latest updates on the National Weather Service's official website for the full forecast.
