5 day forecast
Brrrr! Forecast calls for cold, wind and snow for Pittsburgh
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Ed Shea of Thornburg heads back out of the Monongahela River with other members of the Pitts-burrrrrgh Drowned Hogs at Southside Riverfront Park, after plunging into the river today to raise money for Circle C Youth and Family Services, of which Mr. Shea is a board member. -
Stacy Moffatt of Scott heads back out of the Monongahela River with other members of the Pitts-burrrrrgh Drowned Hogs at Southside Riverfront Park, after plunging into the river today to raise money for Circle C Youth and Family Services.
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What does a groundhog know?
Although Punxsutawney Phil this very morning predicted an early spring, the next week will feel like anything but.
The National Weather Service in Moon says the mercury isn't likely to get above the freezing mark until possibly next Saturday when it might flirt with 32 degrees.
Until then, bundle up and prepare for cold, wind and snow.
Flurries have already begun in the Pittsburgh region, which is bracing for between 2 and 4 inches of snow today and a total of 4 to 6 inches through Sunday, National Weather Service meteorologist John Darnley said this morning.
The most intense periods of snow are expected to occur late this afternoon, into this evening, and late Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
Then the white stuff should mostly disappear for the next week except for a possible dusting Tuesday night, he said.
Take comfort -- Mr. Darnley says it's a dry snow.
But that won't help anyone shake off the cold. At 5 a.m. today it was 8 degrees. It warmed up to 13 degrees by mid-morning, but with the wind chill, the real feel is more like 0 degrees.
Expect a high of about 20 degrees today. Sunday morning should be a brisk 15 degrees with temperatures peaking at 25 degrees.
Mr. Darnley is blaming a cyclonic flow over the Great Lakes for the brisk weather. The system is sitting over the water and revolving, all the while bringing in cold, wet air from Canada.
The chilly airflow will produce gusts today of up to 16 mph.
"It's gonna be blowing pretty good," Mr. Darnley said.
Gusts could reach up to 22 mph Sunday afternoon.
All in all, if Punxsutawney Phil feels like sporting shorts and a T-shirt to welcome an early spring, by all means. But most of us might want to trust in science and heed the words of Mr. Darnley: "I wouldn't want to put the skis away yet."
First Published February 2, 2013 10:09 am
