Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA
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852 FXUS61 KPBZ 171856 AFDPBZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 156 PM EST Mon Nov 17 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Lake-effect snow showers will taper off before 1pm. A passing system early Tuesday may produce a brief period of wintry mix or snow before transitioning to rain in the afternoon and evening. Milder conditions are expected toward the end of the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Quiet and dry conditions late this evening ---------------------------------------------------------------- Lake-effect snow potential has diminished over the past 3 hours north of Pittsburgh as ridging builds in from the west, allowing all winter headlines to be cancelled. Quiet conditions are expected this afternoon and through late tonight, with cloud cover gradually clearing from southwest to northeast by sunset. Overnight radiational cooling will likely bring temperatures below freezing. However, with light and varaible winds, wind chill values should remain close to the actual air temperatures. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Potential for hazardous travel early Tuesday with mixed precipitation chances - Rain chances increase early afternoon Tuesday; heavier amounts expected south of I-70 ---------------------------------------------------------------- A disturbance moving across the Great Plains will continue eastward late tonight into early Tuesday. Precipitation chances will increase just before or shortly after sunrise across eastern Ohio. With cold surface temperatures and model soundings indicating the potential for mixed precipitation, some icy spots may develop. High-resolution guidance highlights eastern Ohio and the higher terrain of West Virginia for light ice accumulation between 8am to 12pm Tuesday. In the vicnity of Pittsburgh and north, a period of snow is expected during the same timeframe. Accumulations could range from a trace to one inch; localized higher amounts will depend on where stronger frontogenesis develops. At the moment, high- resolution models indicate that Columbiana, Beaver, Allegheny, and Hancock Counties may be where higher snowfall amounts reside. The snow will likely be `wet` and heavy in nature, with snow-to-liquid ratios around 5:1. By early afternoon, models indicate warm air aloft will likely overtake the region and precipitation type will transition to rain. The heaviest rainfall, ranging between 0.50 to 0.80 inches, is expected south of I-70. With these projected amounts, Morgantown, WV could be close to a daily precip record (0.75"/1984). && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Above average temperatures into next weekend - Rain chances rise again late week with another passing disturbance likely - Possible dry conditions on Sunday ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ensembles continue to agree on height rises during the latter half of the week which will support moderating temperatures. Despite ridge aloft, a weak shortwave will move along it and could support low end rain chances Wednesday night into Thursday. Thursday night, a majority of clustered ensembles continue to favor a trough dropping from the Canadian Prairies into the Great Lakes. There continues to be large differences in both strength and timing of this wave. A faster trough would result in less rain compared to a slower trough. The strength of the trough (weaker or stronger) results in similar precipitation amounts. Regardless of how the trough pans out, the start of rain is likely to occur Thursday evening with an advancing warm front. Following the warm front, Friday`s daytime temperatures are expected to be up to 5-10 degrees above normal (typically in the upper 40s). The associated cold frontal passage looks to occur Friday afternoon/evening triggering a northwest flow regime which would likely keep POPs elevated through Saturday due to the chance for lake enhanced showers. A drier trend may return by Sunday as ensembles weakly agree on subtle height rises. This will likely be a brief period of dry conditions before an upper-level trough moves in Monday night. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Lake effect snow showers will continue north of I-80 this morning. Most ports are expected to remain VFR, but KDUJ may see periods of MVFR restrictions with snow within a linger snow band. With a tight pressure gradient, expected wind gusts to range between 25 to 35 kts today. Restrictions are expected to increase early tomorrow morning between 12Z and 16Z as a low-pressure system approaches the Ohio River Valley from the west. Lingering mid and low-level dry air may allow precipitation to begin as snow or as a wintry mix as moisture moves into eastern Ohio. Conditions will largely depend on the speed of the low`s progression into the Midwest and the onset time of the warm advection. A faster arrival time would favor a period (1-2 hrs) of snow or sleet before changing to rain at some terminals. If the low remains farther west for longer, the likelihood of a wintry mix or snow will be reduced. Cigs will likely fall to MVFR followed by IFR after 15Z Tuesday with increasing boundary layer saturation and remain low into into early Wednesday. Outlook... Periodic restriction and precipitation chances are expected through next weekend as the area remains under a relatively active weather pattern. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Hefferan NEAR TERM...Hefferan SHORT TERM...Hefferan LONG TERM...Lupo AVIATION...Hefferan