Rainfall record set Wednesday
Mother Nature shattered a seven-year-old rainfall record on Wednesday.
A total of 1.93 inches fell at Pittsburgh International Airport, where the National Weather Service takes its official measurements, according to meteorologist Bill Modzelewski.
That broke the record of 1.29 inches for rain on May 29 that had stood since 2012.
Some areas across Western Pennsylvania got much more rain than the record total. The storms that rolled through the area dropped highly variable amounts of rain from one place to another.
Some areas of Butler County got up to 4.5 inches, while Armstrong County received 3 to 4 inches in southern parts of the county and as little as an inch in the north.
Between 1 and 3 inches of rain fell in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, with some pockets getting up to 3.5 inches, Modzelewski said.
Rainfall in Beaver County ranged from 1.5 inches in southern parts of the county to 4 inches in central and northern areas, Modzelewski said.
As of Thursday afternoon, the weather service had recorded 3.44 inches at the airport since Tuesday.
The region will get a break from the rain Friday, but it’s not going to last. More showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast for later in the day Saturday and continuing into Sunday, Modzelewski said.
The rain will taper off Sunday, he said.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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