As Pittsburgh braces for a cold snap, weather forecasts indicate that a mix of snow flurries and gusty winds will be the order of the day. According to the latest area forecast discussion from the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvanians can expect "much colder temperatures" to persist through Saturday, with scattered flurries and snow showers across much of the area through Friday. The detailed synopsis points to a trough of low pressure and lake enhancement, signaling heavier lake effect snow bands for areas north of Interstate 80.
In what appears to be an early winter onslaught, the brief as they are, glimmers of respite seem few. The National Weather Service warns of cold and gusty conditions with scattered snow showers and flurries, and lake-enhanced snow bands developing north of I-80. The accompanying wind advisory, in place through 11 AM for higher elevation areas, suggests a day not easily forgotten. The expected snow accumulation of an inch or two north of I-80, combined with the gusty wind, is likely to cause reduced visibilities and travel impacts, the service cautions, underscoring the immediacy of the wintery challenge faced by commuters.
Dry weather is anticipated to return Saturday, but this interlude is expected to be fleeting, as low pressure promises to usher in another round of rain and snow Saturday night and Sunday. Stringent attention to these conditions is advisable as the service predicts snow, not caring to distinguish weekday from weekend, ominously overspreads the region later Saturday night.
Looking ahead, Sunday is set to deliver a cocktail of snow and rain, with the inclement fusillade not relenting until later Sunday night. A momentary break in the skies is expected to come on Monday, although the forecast calls for the weather to remain unsettled as the week progresses. Snow and rain chances are expected to again heighten Monday night into Tuesday, with meteorological models currently indicating a bend towards colder outcomes, which would mean more snow as a precip type, per the briefings of the weather service. The reality of early Pittsburgh winters, it seems, is to persistently wrestle with the clouds above.
The aviation outlook isn't much brighter either, as travelers can expect fairly persistent low VFR stratocu through the TAF period, with potential for light snow showers. Airports, especially in northwest PA, are on the lookout for lake effect bands apt to rapidly drop visibility below 1 mile, according to the NWS Pittsburgh. The upcoming low-pressure system is pegged to arrive by early Sunday morning, ready to thrust a new set of challenges upon an already tested populace.
