Snowflakes Tuesday morning could tie record for earliest snowfall in Pittsburgh region
Say it ain’t snow.
The first snowfall of, well, fall could happen early Tuesday across the Pittsburgh region.
According to the National Weather Service, snowflakes then would tie the record for the earliest snowfall of the season in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
On Oct. 18, 1972, 1.8 inches of snow was recorded in the Pittsburgh area, according to the National Weather Service. On the same date in 1992, just under 1 inch was recorded.
A freeze watch is in effect for portions of Western Pennsylvania, east-central Ohio and the northern panhandle of West Virginia from 10 p.m. Monday through 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jenna Lake said temperatures will dip to around 30 degrees Monday night, producing a potential snow scenario.
But the good news is road temperatures remain high enough to melt snow hitting the roadways Tuesday morning.
The chance for snowfall begins around 2 a.m.
“We’re likely going to see some snowflakes,” Lake said. “Be prepared for possible delays Tuesday morning.”
A taste of winter this week!
????️ Freeze Watch Monday night into Tuesday Morning. Tender plants may need to be protected.????️ First flakes are possible Monday night into Tuesday.
❄️ Any accumulation will be along and north of I80 and mountains. An inch or less at this time. pic.twitter.com/tGCxXFMYzM
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) October 16, 2022
The precipitation is from a weather system from the upper Midwest, Lake said.
No significant snow accumulations are expected for Allegheny County, and if any snow does stick, it’s likely to be on grassy surfaces, Lake said.
Snow accumulations are expected to be less than an inch north of Interstate 80 and in the mountains.
Despite temperatures in the mid-60s Sunday, road temperatures remained warm, with 77 degrees recorded at the National Weather Service’s road sensor at the Crafton Moon exit on Interstate 79 and 75 degrees measured on a road sensor in Penn Hills.
Lake said this time of year marks the end of the growing season, and temperatures can sometimes dip below freezing.
A freeze watch has the potential to kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and damage unprotected plants.
Daytime temperatures are forecast to bounce back into the 40s on Wednesday.
Lake said the Pittsburgh region averages 40 to 50 inches of total snowfall annually.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.