The ongoing stormy weekend in Pittsburgh isn't taking a break anytime soon. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, PA, multiple showers and thunderstorms are set to continue, with a severe weather alert for today. Residents should brace for "much colder temperatures next week."
A Flood Watch remains in action for several areas in the region, sitting under the shadow of a cold front due to sweep across the city later in the day. "Until the cold front arrives, the area will remain in the warm sector, which should work to limit convection," the National Weather Service reports indicate, signaling a brief respite from the morning's downpours before storms ramp up again as the cold front draws near. Despite the dreary conditions, temperatures are expected to rise well above normal today before the chilly switch.
Showers and occasional thunder are still possible late Saturday and early Sunday. The sluggish front is expected to budge by Sunday, ending the heavy rainfall threat. However, the swift transition to a colder atmosphere means that by Sunday afternoon, rain could turn to snow for places north of Pittsburgh and in the ridges. However, no significant accumulation is anticipated due to the warm, wet ground beneath.
An impressive "cold shot" is forecasted for Tuesday, with high temperatures plummeting to 15 to 20 degrees below normal. While dry weather may fluctuate for a short period midweek, additional rainfall is anticipated as the week progresses. The region, hemmed between a Mountain West trough and an East Coast ridge, looks forward to enduring a pattern mix featuring sub-normal temperatures and recurring bouts of precipitation.
Unstable weather also hits aviation conditions, with varying VFR windows and frequent MVFR/IFR restrictions predicted throughout the upcoming period. Visibility is expected to fluctuate across airports, affected by the rolling waves of heavier rain showers and thunderstorms. Heavy rain will likely break Sunday into Monday, shifting us towards a cooler pattern with intermittent rain or snow chances and an extended stretch of weather-related constraints into mid-week.
Hydrology reports, meanwhile, warn of a continued threat for significant rainfall through Sunday for parts of Ohio, with a 40 to 60 percent chance of 2 inches of rain spread across 72 hours. "The exact location of the heaviest rain will depend on the position of a quasi-stationary surface front and how much convection develops today and Sunday," National Weather Service communications elaborate. Even as the heaviest rains are expected to abate, river levels will likely remain high for days afterward, a stark reminder of nature's lingering grip on the land.
