Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA

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827 FXUS61 KPBZ 091625 AFDPBZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 1225 PM EDT Thu May 9 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Strong to severe thunderstorms have the potential to develop near or south of I-70 this afternoon. Cooler conditions are anticipated over the weekend with a shift in the synoptic pattern from the northwest.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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KEY MESSAGES: - There will be a window of opportunity for strong to severe storms to develop south of Pittsburgh this afternoon/evening. - Damaging wind and hail could occur in a few storms. - Urban flooding may also occur in areas of training storms. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The center of low pressure system is currently located in central Indiana at the moment. Based on ground observations across the region, the warm front is situated along I-70. Low- level water vapor depicts pockets of drier air advancing into south Ohio, which is helping break the cloud deck, raise temperatures, and increase the potential for destabilization. As the center of the low ventures east into the Ohio River Valley, wind shear in the southern sector of the low will increase rom the west/southwest. Therefore, with pockets of instability and high vertical wind shear, the potential for organized convection increases south of Pittsburgh late this afternoon and into the early evening. The combination of fast tracking icy cores within storms raises the concern for damaging winds near or south of I-70. With convection racing across the moisture boundary from west to east, there is also a threat for isolated flooding south of Pittsburgh. Urban areas will be vulnerable to flooding with low flash flood guidance. Probability of widespread rainfall totals for counties south of I-70 range from 35% to 60% (with higher values located near Uniontown,PA and Morgantown,WV). However, probabilities will likely increase for a small communicates within this large scale area if rainfall rates range from 0.5 to 0.7 inches per hour. The probability of severe storms decreases with the loss diurnal heating and ongoing convection tainting the environment after 8pm. However, there could be a few storms that could continue to produce lightning. With clouds, convection throughout the day, and cool northeast flow, temperatures will likely trend cooler than average for areas north of I-70; near average for areas south with in the warm sector.
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&& .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Showers/storms continue into Friday and Saturday. - Ensembles suggest a wet pattern into the weekend. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The low pushing east will be slowed by surface high pressure over the east coast. This will allow enough forcing in the area to keep showers and possibly a few thunderstorms in the area for Friday. The low will eventually exit by Friday evening but a few showers are expected to remain given a return to northwest flow owing to a slight upslope component and lingering gradient. By Friday night into Saturday, another fast moving shortwave dives southeast in northwest flow bringing another round of showers to the area. Overall, a rather damp weekend is on tap. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Cooler temperatures arrive by late week with highs in the 60s this weekend. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The trough that brought some showers and a few thunderstorms will continue into Saturday night as the main axis of the trough begins to exit the area by Sunday morning. However, given the return to northwest flow behind the trough and a lingering weak shortwave trough behind the departed front will keep a chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm through the day on Sunday. By Monday, the models suggest a brief break in the pattern suggesting a shortwave ridge passing through before the next disturbance. This will be evident as the warm front sets up across the northern portion of the forecast area by Monday afternoon. The low further develops as it shifts east and the main trough axis crosses southern OH keeping unsettled weather across the area through the middle of next week. && .AVIATION /16Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... MVFR cig restrictions with rain will return from the south after today as a sfc low passes south of the region. Any TSRA later in the afternoon should be limited to ports south of KPIT. It becomes increasingly likely that cigs will lower to IFR/LIFR from the south after 00Z with lingering moisture and cooler conditions behind a cold front. .Outlook... Restrictions will likely continue through Friday afternoon with lingering low-level moisture and cold advection. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Hefferan NEAR TERM...Hefferan SHORT TERM...Shallenberger LONG TERM...Shallenberger AVIATION...88