Welcome to November, Pittsburghers—get ready for a smattering of rain and some gusty moments ahead. According to the National Weather Service Pittsburgh, while most of us will breeze through a near-normal temperature week, there's a bit of rough weather forecasted for those north of I-80 today. They're calling for isolated showers in these parts and areas of light rain consolidating on Wednesday evening. After a warm surge on Wednesday and Friday, brace yourselves—the weekend is plotting a shift to more frequent rainy spells and dropping temps.
What's it looking like exactly? Expect swift movement of an upper-level shortwave that will shake up the Great Lakes today, stirring up some extra cloud cover in our region. While the NWS doesn't anticipate more than a drizzle, gusts could reach 20-30 mph with up to 40 mph winds in the more elevated areas. And unless you're up in the Laurel Highlands or West Virginia's higher terrains, don’t expect the winds to knock your hat off—the odds are low for advisory-level gusts. As we head into Tuesday, high pressure slides in and the skies clear, leading to a chillier morning.
Moving on to midweek, Tuesday is looking dry and steady, but Wednesday ushers in warmer air right before a front moves through, potentially bumping up the rain chances. NWS projections show another fast-moving shortwave trough dropping in by Wednesday afternoon, raising the mercury about 10 degrees above the daily average, give or take. However, don't count on drenching rain; the forecast is showing light and offers little accumulation.
As Thursday rolls around, it’s the same sunny story, but Friday doesn't plan on being so kind. An approaching deeper trough means one thing—rain is very likely. While the weekend might kick off on a moist note, the ensemble models have forecasted a colder, wetter pattern as a general theme. Snow chatter starts up by Sunday, particularly for those up high, but NWS guidelines say any major snowfall is not on the horizon just yet, with probabilities very low.
For the aviators out there, expect VFR conditions across the board this week, with a possibility of gusty winds affecting your afternoon flight today. Despite a minor chance of visibility dropping due to some morning valley fog, the upshot is clear skies till a weak disturbance reintroduces rain midweek. However, whether this will really impact your route is still up in the air—confidence in significant restrictions at area terminals remains low.
