Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA
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951 FXUS61 KPBZ 301829 AFDPBZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 129 PM EST Sun Nov 30 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Gusty winds and lingering rain and snow showers expected this afternoon in the wake of a cold front. Precipitation and winds diminish overnight into Monday as dry weather returns under building high pressure. More widespread accumulating snow is expected with another system Monday night into Tuesday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - A cold front passage brings breezy winds and dropping temperatures through the rest of this afternoon - Snow showers redevelop north of I-80 this evening before dissipating overnight - Light winds and dry weather on Monday under high pressure --------------------------------------------------------------- A crossing cold front has brought a line of showers and gusty winds to the area this afternoon. Shower activity diminishes following the passage of the front, though areas near and north of I-80 could see some lingering precipitation transition back to snow through the evening. Any additional snowfall amounts will be light, but up to an isolated inch is possible before showers dissipate overnight. Low temperatures tonight drop back into the low/mid 20s under post-frontal cold advection. Short-lived high pressure will build across the Ohio Valley on Monday, resulting in light winds and dry and cool conditions through the day. Some broken sunshine may be seen Monday morning before clouds fill back in ahead of the next system, which is forecast to move through the area Monday night into Tuesday. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Rain and snow return late Monday night - Ice possible in the Mon Valley and WV/PA ridges - Advisory level snow possible across much of the region ---------------------------------------------------------------- Another shortwave traverses the Great Lakes Monday and moves eastward into the Ohio Valley by Monday night. At the SFC, this drags a low northward from the Gulf Coast, through the Southeast and up the Eastern Seaboard. As such POPs begin to increase across our region late Monday night from west to east. Most models and ensemble solutions have come into agreement more closely on the precise low track through coastal GA/SC and directly up the East Coast, positioning us on the far northern edge. This track places the transition zone along and south of I-70 and along and east of the Ohio river. Areas north and west of this have a better shot to remain all snow and therefore have a higher chance of seeing 2-4" snowfall totals. South and east of this, precip types may be an issue for snowfall accumulation with a wintry mix more likely in this region. Probabilities for Advisory level snow have climbed across much of the region (save for the Mon Valley) compared to 24 hours ago. Probabilities for Warning level snow remain largely between 10-20% at their highest. Snowfall rates of 1"/hour seem possible in the heaviest snowfall, likely during the predawn hours of Tuesday morning. These rates peak in several stripes running SW to NE across the region, highlighting embedded heavier bands in the stratiform snow. Neighborhood probabilities for 1"/hour rates peak as high as 60-80% in SE Ohio near the I-70 corridor, but are at least 20-30% across much of the region. Stout 850mb WAA racing up the spine of the Appalachians points towards the possibility of freezing rain in the Mon Valley and eastern ridges early Tuesday morning. These chances remain highest in our WV ridges, where the best WAA will be. Further west towards the Ohio river, there could still could be freezing rain if the WAA over performs but current model soundings point towards a period of melting snow or sleet. Ice accumulations of a glaze up to a few hundredths could be possible by Tuesday morning, highest in the WV ridges. At this time a Winter Weather Advisory looks likely for much of the area for accumulating snowfall and then perhaps another in the ridges for possible ice. We could end up in a situation where the only areas that do not need a Winter Weather Advisory would be portions of the Mon Valley, where snowfall totals will be kept in check by low SLRs/rainfall and freezing rain chances are lower than just east in the ridges. No matter the headline decision, the Tuesday morning commute could be a messy and potentially dangerous one across the region. Please allow for extra time to reach your destinations and we urge extra caution on area roadways. The system continues quickly climbing the Eastern Seaboard Tuesday afternoon. POPs begin to decline during this time period, with the best forcing and moisture moving northeastward and fleeting across the region. Snowfall may linger longest near and north of I-80 as well as in the ridges with a brief push of NW flow. This will be short-lived however, as winds are expected to back through Tuesday night shutting this off. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Active pattern continues - Briefly dry Wednesday before more systems Thursday and Friday into the weekend - Below normal temperatures through the period ------------------------------------------------------------------- A brief stay by high pressure returns dry conditions to the region Wednesday but the overall active pattern continues. During the day Wednesday SFC low pressure deepens over the northern Great Lakes and traverses eastward through Ontario and Quebec. The associated cold front dips through the region Wednesday night and Thursday. The best synoptic support remains well to the north lending only a real uptick in POPs north of I-70. Model soundings seemingly support all snow with a possible rain/snow mix along the far southern edge Thursday afternoon. High pressure and dry conditions stay briefly again Thursday night into early Friday before another system is expected to climb from the Gulf Coast to the Eastern Seaboard. Once again the exact track of this system will determine exact precip type and snowfall amounts, but at this time it looks like wintry weather could be with us to end the work week and begin the weekend. Temperatures are likely to remain below average throughout the period favoring daytime highs in the low to mid 30s. && .AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Gusty winds and MVFR ceilings are spreading across the area this afternoon in the wake of a cold front that is currently crossing the region. Peak gusts up to 35-45 mph have been observed at numerous terminals behind the front, though these should only last a few hours before gradually subsiding this evening and tonight. Precipitation generally ends behind the front, though lingering showers near and north of I-80 will transition from rain back to snow through this evening before tapering off after 06Z. Locally IFR ceilings and visibilities will be possible at FKL/DUJ in those evening snow showers, but overall additional accumulations should remain light - generally an inch or less. High pressure brings light winds and dry weather back to the region overnight into Monday, but MVFR ceilings linger as improvement back to VFR is not anticipated until near or after the end of the current 24-hr TAF period. Outlook... VFR returns during the day Monday as high pressure moves across the area. This is quickly followed by yet another low pressure system, which moves into the area and brings another round of widespread wintry precipitation and associated restrictions Monday night into Tuesday. The heaviest snowfall with the Tuesday system is currently forecast to occur in the 06Z-12Z timeframe early Tuesday morning. During that window, the latest HREF is showing some potential for one or more narrow SW-NE oriented bands to embed within the broader shield of snow. According to guidance, the heaviest snowfall will coincide with these bands, with a roughly 30-50% probability of rates reaching or exceeded an inch/hr. However, there is still a fair amount of uncertainty regarding where (or whether) the bands will form. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Rackley NEAR TERM...Cermak/Rackley SHORT TERM...Rackley/AK LONG TERM...Rackley/AK AVIATION...Cermak