Mostly clear skies greet Pittsburgh this morning with temperatures in the mid-40s, but the calm will not last long. Periods of light rain and showers are set to roll in on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with a high near 58°F. Southwest winds will pick up this afternoon and turn the commute soggy at times, so carry an umbrella and plan for extra minutes on wet roads.
Timing And Rain
Light rain is possible before 7 a.m., then steadier rain and scattered showers are expected between roughly 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., with an elevated chance of precipitation through the day. Southwest winds should run around 6 to 14 mph this afternoon with gusts up to about 24 mph. While today's rain is expected to stay on the lighter side, a larger late-week system could bring a total of about 0.5 to 0.75 inches of rain through Friday, especially over higher terrain. According to the National Weather Service, river runoff combined with melting snow is boosting the risk for localized ice-jam flooding.
Rivers And The Commute
The recent warm spell is already chewing away at leftover snowpack, sending extra runoff into streams and rivers. That means some low-lying roads and crossings may pick up standing water or slower traffic. Widespread flooding is not expected, but the mix of rain and loose river ice still carries a non-zero chance of ice jams and localized rises in river levels. If you drive to work along river corridors, be ready for slower commutes and clear nearby drains where you can.
Late-Week Shift
A warm front will lift through Thursday into Friday, bringing more steady rain and a chance of thunderstorms before a cold front drops temperatures sometime Friday. Forecast models are still at odds over the exact timing and track of the weekend system, so a changeover to snow remains on the table Sunday into Monday, with accumulating snow in some scenarios. For more background on how the warm-up began, see our Feb. 17 Hoodline coverage in how the warm-up began.
