007
FXUS61 KPBZ 221140
AFDPBZ

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
740 AM EDT Sat Aug 22 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Higher confidence in the timing and scope of thunderstorm
activity this afternoon and evening results in higher
probability of severe weather occurring.

SPC also introduced a low probability damaging wind threat for
Sunday near the I-80 corridor/

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) A slight risk exists for damaging wind and large hail threat
with storm activity this afternoon and evening.

2) A marginal risk for damaging wind Sunday is tied to afternoon
and evening convection near the I-80 corridor.

3) Outside of lingering showers near Lake Erie, dry weather
favored through mid next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...
Outside of a loner, elevated storm in north central OH, the
overnight period has seen the pre-frontal convection die off
east of the region while the MCS remains farther west in central
IL. This results sets up the region to remain in a clearer sky
environment that awaits the arrival of the pre-frontal trough
(and eventual sfc cold front) to initiate fairly widespread
showers and thunderstorms. Hi-res guidance has generally
coalesced around the idea of storm initiation between 2pm-4pm
over eastern OH with storms spreading east through 8pm
along/ahead of the pre-frontal trough before lingering showers
and low probability thunderstorms full push east of the region
by the early hours Sunday morning ahead of the surface cold
front.

Clearer skies allowing for maximization of surface heating
should push area SBCAPE values towards 1500-2000 J/kg and
steepens low-level lapse rates that serves as the main drivers
for the hazardous weather threat. Despite weak shear (around
20kts) and marginal dCAPE (600-800 J/kg) that should limit the
high-end severe potential, discrete storms that merge into
multicellular clusters is enough to create scattered instances
of damaging winds and large hail. Severe threats peak between
4pm-8pm before subsiding thereafter as buoyancy wanes and the
surface decouples.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

Residual shortwave movement combined with cold advection aloft
may trigger isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorm
Sunday afternoon and evening coincident with peak heating.
Storms coming off Lake Erie toward the I-80 corridor may pose an
isolated damaging wind threat if surface heating maximizes
sbCAPE (to 1000 J/kg) while mid-level flow strengthens.

KEY MESSAGE 3...
Residual cool northwest flow on the backside of the upper trough
may induce enough lift in conjunction with warm Lake Erie waters
to create light rain showers near/north of I-80 late Sunday into
Monday.

Otherwise, high pressure and height rises aloft point to a
prolonged (relatively speaking, in relation to the previous
month) dry period to start next week. High temperature does
start below seasonal averages on Monday before rising back near
average by mid week. Long range ensembles currently favor
Thursday as the next day with showers/thunderstorms as the next
upper trough crosses.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
High confidence forecast of VFR and medium confidence of showers
and storms impacting airports, however there will be storms
around this afternoon and early evening.

VFR prevails, otherwise until widespread showers and
thunderstorms develop this afternoon and evening ahead of an
advancing pre-frontal trough (1st) and cold front (2nd) combo.
The strong storms could drop visibilities to IFR levels while
also posing a risk for creating wind gusts to at least 30kts,
potentially higher. Based on the latest high resolution models,
the time window is 18-22Z in Ohio, 20-24Z PA and WV save for
DUJ where it is until 2Z.

Lingering shower and low probability thunderstorms eventually
clear east by 06z, but cool advection plus residual moisture
favors MVFR/IFR stratus development thereafter. Current probs
have a 30-40% of IFR CIGS over PA and WV. The highest confidence
now is our historically more frequent terminals of FKL and DUJ.

Outlook...
Widespread MVFR to IFR cigs are favored Sunday morning that
improve through the day, but scattered showers and low
probability thunderstorms develop by the afternoon due to cool
NW flow over warm lake waters.

Precipitation chances linger in northwest PA into Monday before
high pressure provides areawide VFR dry weather by Tuesday.

&&

.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...None.
OH...None.
WV...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...Frazier
AVIATION...Frazier/McMullen