According to the latest meteorological missive from the National Weather Service, Pittsburgh, and its surrounding regions are bracing for a mix of snow and freezing rain that will sweep through the area on Wednesday night. Forecasters have warned that the initial wintry mix will transition to rain by Thursday before tapering off.
The prognostication, issued early this Wednesday morning, presages an increment in cloud cover ahead of an incoming shortwave trough. Dry conditions should prevail until dawn, but a light snowfall could briefly appear in the afternoon. Residents to the north of I-70 especially should take heed, as they're in for a brief period of freezing rain overnight. According to the National Weather Service forecast, this icy challenger is slated to dance on untreated roads and create a slippery mess, which will be hazardous travel on untreated roads.
Warnings have stepped up for those living along the ridges. From Wednesday night through Thursday morning, an ice storm warning has been issued for potential ice accumulation heavy enough to topple power lines and treacherous roads. Warmer temperatures on Thursday should help convert the icy mix back to rain.
Looking towards the weekend, the weather service hints at a dry Friday but flirts with the possibility of another wintry mix on Saturday. Yet, fleeting as it may be, residents might catch a respite with anticipated dry spells on Sunday and Monday. For those with wings, aviation forecasts suggest that unfriendly skies will bring visibility down a notch by Wednesday night, with a wintry mix of precipitation hindering viewsheds at local aerodromes.
In the parade of advisories, the Greater Pittsburgh area and several Ohio and West Virginia counties are under a Winter Weather Advisory. This advisory indicates impending bouts of snow and sleet, which could affect evening commutes and potentially the early birds of Thursday's rush. Keen minds should tune in for updates, as nature's wiles are as certain as they are unpredictable, and the machinations above have a history of last-minute upsets.
