Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Graphics & Text |  Print | Product List |  Glossary Off
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
826 FXUS61 KPBZ 171141 AFDPBZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 741 AM EDT Tue Sep 17 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Slow moving low pressure will return limited rain chances to the area today into Thursday, mainly for areas southeast of Pittsburgh. Any rainfall amounts will be light. Dry weather returns late in the week through the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... KEY MESSAGES: - Limited rain chances today south of Pittsburgh ------------------------------------------------------------------- For the early morning update...made some minor adjustments to the morning temperatures based on the latest surface observations. Otherwise, high pressure remains in place across the NE CONUS. A coastal low has moved onshore across the Carolinas, and has become vertically stacked. The high will gradually shift eastward today, as the low remains nearly stationary. Moisture rotating around the low, and ascent/vorticity advection, will result in an increase in rain chances south of I 70 today. The 00Z PIT sounding showed very dry air below 400 mb. A dry, downsloping easterly flow should also help to maintain this dry air. This will preclude rain from reaching areas much further north than I-68, with only slight chances as far north as I-70. A cirrus shield will remain in place across the rest of the area today, with some lowering and thickening of the cloud cover expected as additional moisture streams in. High temperatures are expected to be around 5 degrees above average. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Periodic low rain chances continue into Thursday - Seasonable temperatures Wednesday, returning to above average readings by Thursday ------------------------------------------------------------------- The coastal low is progged to drift toward the Mid Atlantic region by Thursday. Moisture and vorticity advection will continue to rotate around the low, with some northward push further across the region later tonight and Wednesday. This should result in limited rain chances reaching eastern Ohio and western PA. Rain chances will shift further southward again on Thursday as the low opens into a trough and reaches the East Coast. Rainfall amounts are expected to remain minimal for most of the area, though the eastern facing slopes of eastern Tucker county has the best chance at seeing a half an inch or more of rain. Elsewhere, probabilities of even a tenth of an inch of rain are generally less than 50 percent, with the greatest chances south of I-68. Cloud cover and rain chances should limit high temperatures on Wednesday, with readings near seasonable levels. Temperatures should warm Thursday as the low moves eastward and cloud cover decreases. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Dry weather through early next week - Above average temperatures through early next week ------------------------------------------------------------------- Model ensembles indicate a ridge will build from the from the TX Gulf Coast, through the Upper Ohio Valley region, and into eastern Canada Friday, and persist through the weekend. The ridge is progged to begin to break down and shift eastward early next week, as a trough tracks across the Midwest. The ridge should maintain dry weather and warmer than average temperatures through the long term period. Ensembles indicate a more zonal flow could develop after the end of the long term period, with at least some chance for rain towards mid week. && .AVIATION /12Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
VFR is expected through the TAF period as mid and high clouds increase ahead of a low pressure system slowly approaching from the south. A few stratocu clouds are also possible with some limited increase in moisture at around 5kft, primarily near and south of PIT. With the Upper Ohio Valley region on the northern side of the low, expect a persistent east wind at 5-10kt. .Outlook... Occasional restrictions and showers are possible, especially near MGW, through Thursday as the low slowly tracks across the Lower Ohio Valley and Appalachians region. VFR is then expected through Saturday as high pressure builds in.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...WM NEAR TERM...WM SHORT TERM...WM LONG TERM...WM AVIATION...Cermak/WM