As per the latest National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA update, Pittsburgh residents should brace themselves for showers and potential thunderstorms starting Thursday. A cold front is expected to sweep through, bringing gusty winds and the possibility of isolated severe storms. It’s a good time to stash away those outdoor cushions and keep an umbrella handy. The weekend is shaping up to be cooler, so maybe it's time to unpack that sweater you just put away.
Tonight, while temperatures are predicted to climb higher than recent days, there's a chance of pre-frontal showers mainly staying south of Pittsburgh this evening. According to the National Weather Service, "Hi-res guidance does suggest some isolated to scattered shower activity could be developing along the nose of the moisture plume" in areas such as northern WV and extreme southwest PA. Even though these showers are expected to be few and far between, they could make an appearance between 5 pm and 10 pm.
Thursday and Friday are looking to be quite dynamic, with the forecast showing "Showers and localized thunderstorms favored Thursday, likely in a morning and afternoon wave," as stated by the National Weather Service. The strength of these storms will largely depend on whether the weather heats up enough ahead of the afternoon wave to fuel them. Southeast of Pittsburgh is where storms may pose the most threat, given sufficient destabilization before the cold front passes through.
For those looking further ahead, the outlook for Friday night through Tuesday signals that additional shortwaves may stir up some more precipitation into Saturday. Once that’s out of the way, a dry but distinctly cooler vibe is expected to settle in for Sunday going into early next week. The National Weather Service suggests, with high confidence, that aside from a small chance of lake-enhanced showers near the I-80 corridor, it should be clear skies to start the week.
In the aviation corner, VFR conditions are forecasted to continue with some increased mid and upper-level cloud cover due to deepening low pressure to the northwest. Southwest winds might get friskier, with gusts up to 15 knots possible this afternoon. While the bigger weather story is the impending showers and potential thunderstorms for Thursday, the National Weather Service also hints at 50-70% chance for MVFR conditions associated with the rain on Thursday, with the possibility of conditions improving shortly after the cold front makes its exit.
