Snow blows through before celebrating Mom's special day
It’s just what every mother wants the day before Mother’s Day - a snowfall.
That’s what many moms across Western Pennsylvania woke up to Saturday morning when a trace of snow was recorded at Pittsburgh International Airport, said John Darnley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon. If it feels cold outside, there’s good reason. Temperatures dipped to 28 degrees Saturday morning, breaking a record of 30 degrees set in 1983 and 1947.
It May be snowing on me... pic.twitter.com/VUSO7kdCDV
— Seven Springs (@7SpringsPA) May 8, 2020
Blame it on what Darnley said was “cold air that flowed like a river” from the Arctic, swept across Alaska and headed to the lower 48 states. As it blew from the West, warmer air from the sunny South has been blocked from invading Western Pennsylvania. The cloud cover blocked the sun in the morning, creating conditions for the very light snow.
It’s better than what happened on May 9 in 1966, when children in the region could make snowballs with the 3.1 inches of snow that fell that day, Darnley said.
So, what should be happening with the temperatures on a typical May 9?
How about an average of a simply sunny 69 degrees?
It’s May 9. And it’s snowing in Western Pa. Geez. pic.twitter.com/S38k0zHLK2
— Rob Amen (@RobAmenTrib) May 9, 2020
If history can really repeat itself, the region might not be done with this last blast of winter. The latest trace of snowfall for the Pittsburgh area was recorded in the late 19th century, on May 31, 1893, Darnley said. There may be one or two people who can remember a .5-inch snowfall on May 26, 1925, which was the latest measurable snowfall that year.
But, if it makes you feel any better, the trace of snow below Interstate-80 is a lot better than what mothers in the Erie area woke up and saw.
The Great Lakes region of northwestern Pennsylvania recorded 2.3 inches of snow, Darnley said.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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