253 FXUS61 KPBZ 060833 AFDPBZArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 433 AM EDT Mon Oct 6 2025
.SYNOPSIS... High pressure centered east of the coast will maintain dry and warm conditions today. A passing cold front returns rain on Tuesday, followed by dry and cooler conditions the remainder of the week.
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.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Dry and warm ----------------------------------------------------------------
Mostly sunny skies expected again as ridging remains the dominant feature. With minimal change to heights/thickness values, temperatures will be very similar to what was observed Sunday, between 10 to 15 degrees above normal. As the ridge axis shifts east some mid-level clouds should develop later in the afternoon.
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.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Dry weather continues this with increasing clouds - Rain chances begin to increase mainly after midnight - A soaking rain appears likely Tuesday afternoon and night ----------------------------------------------------------------
Clouds will continue to increase tonight as the mentioned ridge axis continues to move east and moisture advection increases. Low temperatures overnight will be particularly mild with the increased cloud cover, with some locations not dipping below the lower 60s. Some light rain is possible prior to sunrise across western zones, before more widespread (and moderate times) rain develops late morning and persists through the afternoon and into the evening. PWAT values will be over 1.5", which is above the 90th percentile for this time of year.
NBM runs continue to show probabilities of 0.50" or higher from 75 to 90 percent, with 1" or more coming in at 30-50 percent. These amounts will still not a drought-buster, but this will certainly be helpful. Locally higher totals than an inch will certainly be possible in any convective elements. Flooding is not considered to be a major threat with the dry antecedent conditions and low stream/river levels, but isolated instances may be possible in urbanized or poor drainage areas (clogged drains/culverts from falling leaves in particular). WPC has the entire forecast area under a Marginal Risk for flooding on Tuesday. Some rumbles of thunder are possible during the day in very modest instability, but poor lapse rates/dynamics and the lack of surface heating should render severe weather a non- existent threat. Temperatures should be suppressed to just a few degrees above normal Tuesday/Tuesday night ahead of FROPA.
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.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... KEY MESSAGES:
- Dry weather returns Wednesday with gusty wind - Temperatures fall to normal/below normal. - Dry weather most likely Friday into the weekend, but pattern uncertainty increases -------------------------------------------------------------------
Ensembles have been trending a touch faster with the boundary, kicking it out early enough to end precipitation across most areas by 12Z Wednesday and to provide a mostly sunny sky by afternoon. Still, a morning shower or two in the northern WV ridges cannot be ruled out. The cooler air mass will provide temperatures right around seasonal norms. Northwest wind behind the front should be gusty behind the front given good mixing and a tightening pressure gradient. The NBM suggests maximum gusts in the 25 to 30 MPH range for most of the region.
Flow aloft transitions to a zonal pattern in the wake of the departing shortwave trough, with surface high pressure traversing the Great Lakes into the northeast CONUS. This should keep conditions dry through Thursday night. Low temperatures below climatology are indicated for Wednesday night, and the sky will remain clear, but it is questionable whether the surface pressure gradient relaxes enough to allow for nearly calm wind and good radiational cooling. This could limit frost potential Thursday morning, even though some areas could drop into the mid 30s north of US-422. Temperatures closer to normal are likely for Thursday and Thursday night, with increasing high cover during the latter period.
Uncertainty in the flow pattern begins to increase Friday and through the weekend. The majority of ensemble cluster members seem to favor baggy troughing over the eastern CONUS, with a minority showing notably higher 500mb heights. The differences magnify for Saturday and Sunday, as trough/ridge positioning and strength vary. Overall, most solutions do not seem to favor notable surface systems that would provide much in the way of precipitation, so a mostly dry forecast will be maintained for now, in line with NBM suggestions. Temperatures near or slightly above climatology for this period currently appear to be the most likely outcome.
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.AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR will continue through the TAF period under high pressure, which was centered off of the Mid Atlantic coast. SW flow on the western side of the high should result in some moisture return across OH this afternoon, where scattered cumulus/stratocu is expected. Otherwise, expect an increase in mid level clouds, mainly this evening, ahead of an approaching cold front.
.OUTLOOK... Restrictions in showers and a possibly a thunderstorm are expected Tuesday and Tuesday night with a crossing cold front. VFR is expected to gradually return Wednesday after FROPA, and continue through Friday, as high pressure builds in.
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.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None.
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SYNOPSIS...88 NEAR TERM...88 SHORT TERM...88 LONG TERM...88 AVIATION...WM
NWS PBZ Office Area Forecast Discussion