Those in Pittsburgh can expect to continue basking in unusual warmth today, with forecasts predicting temperatures to soar about 5-10 degrees above the norm for early October. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh chalks this to generous sunshine and friendly atmospheric conditions, including h850 temperatures hovering between 10-12C.
Waking up to patchy fog might be the only slight inconvenience for early risers, especially near river valleys. However, this is anticipated to clear swiftly with the help of the morning sun's rays. The weekend maintains this dry streak, courtesy of an upper ridge primed to carry Pittsburgh through Saturday with clear skies. Technically speaking, it's not until Sunday that folks will need to keep possibly retrieving their umbrellas as the front flirts with the idea of bringing showers and a few rumbles of thunder later in the day.
Turning toward Sunday, "shower and storm chances will increase from NW to SE ahead of an advancing front," mentions the NWS forecast discussion. Most of the area is expected to stay dry for much of Sunday afternoon, with precipitation and potential thunderstorms sneaking in by dusk. While the severe weather threat remains modest, there's still a chance for strong to severe storms that could usher in damaging winds.
Looking into next week, the weather promises to shift gears. The mercury will drop to near or slightly below seasonal averages following the Sunday night frontal passage. For residents, this means it might just be time to dutifully drag out the heavier drapes of cloth we know as coats, and on some particularly nippy nights, there's even talk of frost. "A cooler air mass will return to the area with temperatures dropping to near normal values, if not a tad below normal," echoes the report from the National Weather Service. Dry conditions should hold steadfast throughout the week, courtesy of an incoming large ridge.
