Fog and mist are smothering Pittsburgh this morning, with the airport checking in near 59°F and visibility trimmed to about four miles. Skies should start to crack open by late morning, and afternoon highs are expected to bounce into the mid 80s, around 84°F. There is a slight chance of a stray shower or quick thunderstorm after about 1 p.m., but most neighborhoods are likely to stay dry through the evening commute.
Early Week Heat Spike
The real warmup is slated for Monday and Tuesday, when highs are expected to surge into the low 90s with sticky humidity, the first true stretch of summerlike weather this season. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh is flagging a "moderate" heat risk for both days and is urging people who are sensitive to heat to take it seriously and plan ahead, according to NWS Pittsburgh.
Storm Timing And What To Watch
Thunderstorm chances ramp up from Tuesday night into Wednesday, when forecasters say a more widespread batch of storms could roll through and might produce damaging downburst winds in a few locations. Today and Monday look mostly dry aside from a few isolated afternoon pop up cells, and any storms that do form are expected to drop only light rainfall totals.
If the early heat has you scheduling outdoor plans, you are better off shifting the heavy lifting to morning or evening and keeping plenty of water nearby. The city has a track record of opening cooling centers when forecasts climb into the 90s, as seen in past announcements from CitiParks.
Quick Take
Bottom line: look for patchy morning fog, a warm afternoon near 84°F today, then a quick jump into the 90s on Monday and Tuesday, with storm chances increasing by midweek. Keep tabs on local forecasts if you have outdoor events lined up, and think ahead about cooling options for vulnerable neighbors and pets. Later in the week, if storms do fire, expect brief heavy downpours and gusty winds as the main hazards, so stay alert to any advisories and plan accordingly.
