As we exchange summer's embrace for the cool touch of early fall, the National Weather Service out of Pittsburgh paints a straightforward picture of what we can expect in the skies above. According to the forecast discussion released this morning, the Pittsburgh area is set to experience a steady shift from cooler temperatures to a mild warming as the work week unfolds.
The crux of today's weather story churns around the drier conditions and cooler-than-average temperatures, hovering around 10 degrees below the norm. Residents north of I-80 might encounter "a few stray and very light possible showers/sprinkles," the National Weather Service reports. Temperatures will mimic those felt on Saturday, with the balancing act of increased sunshine and cooler air aloft.
Moving into the evening and stretching through Tuesday, skies are expected to stay clear, with the possibility of patchy valley fog. Daytime temperatures will rise slightly but remain below average, leading into a consistent, albeit gradual, warming trend. The outlook for the early part of the week seems uncluttered, with high pressure and subsidence keeping the forecast dry and temperatures close to what's typical for this time of year.
Further out, predicting precisely what the weather holds grows hazy; some uncertainty clouds the forecast by week's end. However, dry conditions look likely to persist through the period, says the National Weather Service's update. From Wednesday to Friday, a slight cooling trend takes place as temperatures stay near average.
Aviation forecasts also signal minimal disruption. Following the lift of the morning's low stratus and fog, VFR conditions are set to prevail for the remainder of the day, with some wind gusts in the afternoon as a result of cold air moving over the warmer Lake Erie. Pilots can expect high confidence in high-pressure supporting VFR and light wind as the predominant weather type through at least mid-week, with the usual allowance for localized morning river valley fog.
For now, no watches, warnings, or advisories are in place across Pennsylvania, Ohio, or West Virginia. Pittsburgh's stirrings and staid prepare for the week ahead, undisturbed by any threat of severe weather, resting in the quiet anticipation of autumn's steady approach.
