Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas brace for another round of bone-chilling temperatures today, as the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh maintains its Cold Weather Advisory and Extreme Cold Warning for the region. With the mercury expected to sit 20 to 30 degrees below the norms for this time of year, Pittsburghers are advised to bundle up and limit exposure to the great outdoors, with advisories in place until the early afternoon.
Despite the harsh cold snap, the forecast provides a silver lining—there are signs of a gradual warm-up on the horizon. Temperatures are set to moderate by Thursday, although Pittsburgh will still experience sub-zero wind chills tonight. However, it is likely not severe enough to meet the Cold Weather Advisory criterion of minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, as per the National Weather Service. An incoming shortwave might also trigger snow showers in parts of the region. Though ensemble guidance suggests a fairly low probability, the weather's always got an element of unpredictability.
The extended forecast doesn't promise much heat either—below-average temperatures are expected to cling on through early next week. The long-range models are currently wrestling with projections that are at odds with one another, which means that while a slight temperature rise is possible towards Sunday or Monday, it's still too early to call it a thaw. Adding to the mix, there's talk of a potential large-scale disturbance that could sway weather patterns come Monday. However, with confidence levels low, all we can do is watch, wait, and prepare for more cold.
At least air travel isn't forecast to suffer much disruption, with VFR conditions expected to rule the skies for several days. But as the week progresses, the forecast courtesy of the National Weather Service suggests restriction and precipitation chances are on the up once Thursday inches closer. That ever-present upper-level trough makes its grand entrance. On the historical front, today ranks among the coldest, with some areas approaching record-breaking low temperatures that have not been seen since the chilliest days of the past century.
Today is the kind of day where records are eyed warily, and the good people from regions spanning Pittsburgh, Wheeling, and as far as DuBois are all snugly in the grip of this polar embrace. Residents must heed the advisories issued by the NWS—Cold Weather Advisory, which remains effective until 1 PM EST for numerous counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Extreme cold warnings are also in place for certain pockets within these states, making it imperative for those within these zones to practice extreme cold safety measures.
