Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA

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867 FXUS61 KPBZ 071250 AFDPBZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 850 AM EDT Fri Jun 7 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Probability of light precipitation will increase late this morning north of Pittsburgh with passing shortwave. Below average temperatures are also expected into late Saturday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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KEY MESSAGES: - Probability of rain shower activity increases after day break north of Pittsburgh with a passing shortwave. - Confidence is high that rainfall total amounts through Friday evening will be less than 0.25 inches. -------------------------------------------------------------- Weak shortwave movement through the base of the closed Great Lakes upper trough will provide enough lift to generate isolated to scattered showers across northwest PA. 12z soundings reinforce the idea of a staunch 700mb inversion that will cap storm heights; though up to 500 J/kg CAPE may allow for storm intensification, that cap will keep storm tops below most of the ice layer (below -10 degrees C) and keep lightning and severe weather limited. A drier air mass to the south will help to maintain dry weather as the wave passes. The main impact will be scattered to broken afternoon cumulus as temperature settles a few degrees below the daily average. High pressure and additional cool advection within NW flow will support below average overnight temperature but dry conditions.
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
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KEY MESSAGES: - Dry weather with near normal temperature is expected Saturday. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ridging to the west support a dry and quiet Saturday and the return of near-normal temperature. A shift from west to southwest flow will likely return warm, moist conditions to the region Saturday night. However, temperature will likely still range near the climatological norm.
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&& .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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KEY MESSAGES: - A passing cold front will return rain chances to the region early Sunday. - Cool temperatures to start should warm next week. - Hot conditions may develop late week with a noted ridge in long range models. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Convection returns early Sunday morning as a low pressure ejects out of the Plains and quickly passes into the Ohio River Valley. A few stray showers may evolve ahead a cold front, but Hi-Res model suggest shower activity confided to the boundary. In the wake of the cold front, expected clouds clearing and temperatures recovering to near just slightly below average. A strong ridge out of the Dakotas will continue to stream cool, northerly flow into the region Monday into Tuesday. If the sky remains cloud free, temperatures have the chance (NBM suggesting 40% to 60%) to fall below 50 degrees north of Pittsburgh and along the ridges. Precipitation chances remain low (less than 30%) Monday through Wednesday given long range uncertainty of a developing disturbance. Long range models are suggesting a pattern shift (June 13th- June 15th) as a ridge axis builds and returns warm conditions to the region. The NBM 50th percentile is suggesting hot conditions Thursday into Friday as temperatures range in the upper-80s to low-90s.
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&& .AVIATION /13Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Mid level clouds are evident in early morning visible satellite imagery and surface obs north of PIT/BVI, rotating around an upper low centered over Ontario and the Great Lakes. Model soundings and the CU rule indicate a scattered to broken diurnal cumulus layer with VFR cigs will develop by mid to late morning (roughly after 15Z) as convective temperatures are reached, and continue through the day. A few showers are beginning to form over northeast Ohio per latest radar imagery. This trend is expected to continue and expand eastward throughout the day, with showers expected mainly north of PIT in closer proximity to the upper low and in an area with more favorable moisture. An isolated thunderstorm also cannot be ruled out primarily around FKL/DUJ this afternoon, though chances remain too low for inclusion in the TAF at this time. Any heavier showers or thunderstorms that form could bring brief periods of locally lower cigs/vis to impacted terminals. A sufficiently tight pressure gradient and mixing will combine to produce breezy conditions late this morning through the afternoon, with west winds gusting as high as 25kt. Clouds should gradually decrease this evening as temperatures fall below convective thresholds. Wind will also diminish with decreased mixing. Mostly clear skies and light winds prevail thereafter overnight. .Outlook... VFR conditions prevail during the day Saturday, followed by increasing potential for periodic restrictions and scattered showers Saturday night through Monday as another disturbance moves through the Great Lakes region. Prevailing VFR should return Tuesday under high pressure. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Hefferan NEAR TERM...Frazier SHORT TERM...Hefferan/Frazier LONG TERM...Hefferan AVIATION...Cermak/WM