794 FXUS61 KPBZ 141110 AFDPBZArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 710 AM EDT Tue Oct 14 2025
.SYNOPSIS... Dry and seasonably warm conditions are expected Tuesday before a mostly precipitation free cold front passes Wednesday morning. The cooler air mass may create frost and localized freeze conditions Thursday and Friday mornings. Rain may return for portions of the region Saturday before more widespread rain develops with a cold front Sunday.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Morning cloudiness will delay daytime heating, but is expected to erode by this evening. - A dry cold front is expected to cross overnight and increase cloud cover. ---------------------------------------------------------------
Morning satellite shows a majority of the forecast area covered in stratus as moisture remains stuck underneath a low level inversion, with portions of eastern OH occasionally seeing fog advected from the north. The combination of diurnal heating and subsidence will help to erode area stratus but likely at a slower rate than ensemble model means suggest given their prior struggles in handling overnight conditions. Though ridging aloft and the expectation for sunshine should lead to slightly above normal temperature this afternoon, delays in stratus erosion may cause portions of the region to under perform forecasted highs (hi-res modeling suggests areas east of I-79 are most likely to experience this under performance).
The overnight period should initially see less cloud cover, but an approaching cold front favors an uptick in stratus development after its passage amid cold advection. This front will dive southeast after midnight but with forcing well into Canada and meager moisture profiles, confidence remains high that its passage will be precipitation free.
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.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES:
- High confidence in dry conditions - Frost/freeze possible Wednesday night and Thursday night ----------------------------------------------------------------
Confidence remains high in dry conditions through the period as a result of continued high pressure. Tonight`s dry cold front, along with decreasing heights as a result of amplifying central CONUS ridge, will usher in cooler, but near average, temperatures for Wednesday and Thursday. High pressure will remain firmly planted across the Great Lakes through the period.
Clear skies Wednesday and Thursday nights will promote efficient radiational cooling, allowing temperatures to fall into the mid/low 30s. The NBM probabilities of temperatures ranging from 32 to 35 degrees is elevated (above 60%) for a large portion of the region. As the growing season is ongoing, frost and freeze headlines will likely be needed for Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The expanse and magnitude of frost/freeze conditions Wednesday night will dictate need for headlines the next night, as the growing season may end for many locations on Thursday. Regardless, Thursday night looks to be a few degrees colder still, with many areas north and east of Pittsburgh below freezing.
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.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Above average temperatures return Friday into the weekend - Rain chances return late this weekend
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Long-range ensemble guidance remains consistent in showing the aforementioned ridge axis pivoting over Pennsylvania by mid-day Friday and lingering across the Northeast through early Sunday. This will maintain dry and warmer-than-normal conditions into the weekend.
A passing trough and its associated cold front over the Great Lakes will likely increase chance for rain on Sunday. Current ensemble guidance indicates 24-hour totals generally ranging from 0.25" to 0.50" across the region within the 25th to 75th percentile range. However, a few ensemble members indicate the potential for higher amounts, approaching an inch in some locations.
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.AVIATION /12Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Due to moisture trapped beneath of low-level inversion, MVFR stratus (with localized areas of IFR advection fog in eastern OH) is expected to cover most of the region this morning. Subsidence and diurnal heating is expected to slowly erode this layer through the day, working west to east, and will be aided by the eastward movement of the coastal low. Various statistical guidance struggled in the handling of cloud cover and ceiling heights through the overnight period, so confidence in VFR timing is lower and leans more toward the later improvement times of Hi-res modeling and NAM model suite. DUJ/MGW/LBE are the most likely terminals to see delays in VFR heights or scattered coverage compared with TAF timing.
Dry and quiet conditions to start the overnight period will be interrupted by the passage of a precipitation-less cold front between 05z-14z Wednesday. Again, consensus guidance is bearish on any potential MVFR or lower stratus deck whereas some hi-res models and general conception thoughts (cold advection in NW flow favors at least MVFR stratus) on more bullish on this development. Forecast leans toward the latter to introduce a lower MVFR layer after 06z, but potential exists in IFR conditions in this stratus scenario.
.OUTLOOK... Weak warm advection overtop the cooler post-frontal airmass may offer potential for areas of light rain/drizzle Wednesday morning (between 12z-18z), but probability of occurrence remains low at this time.
Otherwise, surface high pressure with height rises aloft favor VFR into Saturday morning before a series of shortwaves ahead of the next cold front bring increased rain and restriction chances.
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.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None.
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SYNOPSIS...Frazier NEAR TERM...Frazier SHORT TERM...Rackley LONG TERM...Rackley AVIATION...Frazier
NWS PBZ Office Area Forecast Discussion