368 FXUS61 KPBZ 111150 AFDPBZArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 750 AM EDT Sat Oct 11 2025
.SYNOPSIS... Clouds and isolated light precipitation chances with a low pressure system over the Great Lakes. A coastal low may increase the chances of light rain showers east of Pittsburgh after midnight. Dry and warm conditions expected Tuesday into Wednesday with a building ridge.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Increasing clouds today with a low pressure disturbance - Light precipitation chances north of Pittsburgh ---------------------------------------------------------------
GOES-19 satellite imagery shows increasing cloud coverage associated with a low pressure disturbance centered over the Great Lakes. Given the presence of abundant dry air and weak atmospheric forcing, precipitation chances remain low and will primarily be confided near the I-80 corridor today.
Temperatures around and south of Pittsburgh are expected to trend slightly above average under southwest flow. Meanwhile, areas north of Pittsburgh will likely experience near-average temperatures (mid to low-60s) with a prolonged period of cloud cover and noticeable cold advection over the next 6 hours as the low`s center tracks across Lake Erie.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Rainfall through Monday favors northern and eastern areas. ----------------------------------------------------------------
The mentioned factors in the TONIGHT period take shape for Sunday and into Monday. The further track east will mean that the bulk of the precip will be east of the ridges. Rain chances peak across our eastern ridge counties Sunday and Sunday night as energy transfers to the coastal low (30-50%). POPs in the Pittsburgh Metro peak between 20-30% on Sunday and quickly fall off the further west you go. At this point it looks as though northern and eastern counties see the highest chances for showers during this time. Rainfall totals are likely to be lower across our area, with most of the rain falling across our eastern counties (0.10-0.30") and then a very sharp gradient immediately west as totals decline to a few hundredths across the remainder of western PA. Instability is quite low but there could be a couple of rumbles of thunder Saturday night mainly in the far northeastern parts of the forecast area. The overall message is a lessening trend of precip amounts and this is confirmed by the NBM probs suggesting that the far eastern tier of counties has a 30% to 50% probability of 0.25 inches in 48 hours.
Temperatures for highs and lows on Sunday and Monday will feature near normal values. If anything the daytime highs are near or 3-5 degrees above normal.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Dry/warm weather continues into Tuesday - Uncertainty builds mid-week with large-scale pattern -------------------------------------------------------------------
A persistent ridge axis east of the Rocky Mountains, reaching into the Ohio River Valley, will bring dry weather and warmer- than-average temperatures through Tuesday.
By mid-week, it remains uncertain if a trough will form over the Great Lakes or if the ridge will stay, and long-range ensemble temperatures indicate about a 10-degree spread between the 25th and 75th percentile. Should a trough pattern dominate, freezing conditions could return, accompanied by lake-enhanced precipitation under a northwest flow.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... GOES-19 satellite depicts increasing status clouds that range from 5-7kft this morning. Light precipitation, drizzle, may track in the vicinity of DUJ/FKL through late morning. However, confidence in measurable precipitation is low given weak forcing and lingering dry air.
A coastal low tracking up the eastern seaboard could return restrictions and potential for showers Sunday morning. There will likely be an east-west cutoff of to the restrictions with the highest probability lying farther east, but some uncertainty exists with how far west sufficient moisture exists.
.OUTLOOK...
Probabilities for ceiling restrictions and showers will remain highest farther east with an east/west cutoff likely through late Sunday/early Monday.
High pressure will build back into the region midweek.
&&
.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None.
&&
$$
SYNOPSIS...Hefferan NEAR TERM...Hefferan SHORT TERM...Shallenberger/AK LONG TERM...Hefferan/Shallenberger AVIATION...Rackley/Hefferan
NWS PBZ Office Area Forecast Discussion