Western Pa. hasn't broken coldest temperature record — yet

There’s still a chance that temperatures could break the record for the coldest ever recorded on Dec. 5 — but as of 7 a.m. Friday morning, it still hasn’t happened.

David Shallenberger, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon, said measurements there have been stuck at 14 degrees since 5 a.m.

The temperature to beat is 12 degrees, which was set Dec. 5, 1976, he said.

“It could still drop a couple degrees here before the sun comes up,” Shallenberger said. “We’re at the coldest part of the night right now — it could drop three more degrees.”

But if temperatures don’t drop before 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. “at the very latest,” then it’s not going to happen, he said.

“It looks like there is a potential,” Shallenberger said.

Chill sweeps across region

Despite measurements in Moon — which is where the records are measured — being stuck at 14 degrees, other measurements across the region are in the low single digits, according to Shallenberger.

North of Butler, temperature measurements were as low as 2 or 3 degrees Friday morning, he said.

“Keep in mind that some of these places are road sensors,” Shallenberger said. “Sometimes, they’re not placed correctly.”

Also near the Appalachian Mountains, there are temperatures ranging in the single digits from 7 to 9 degrees.

“Around the Pittsburgh area, we’re still in the teens,” Shallenberger said, because it’s more urban.

What’s ahead for the weekend?

For the rest of the day Friday, highs will be in the low- to mid-30s, with the lows dropping at night to the low- to mid-20s, the said.

Both Saturday and Sunday are expected to have highs in the upper 30s, according to Shallenberger.

Saturday night lows will be in the mid- to upper-20s, but Sunday night lows will be a bit colder — in the upper teens to low-20s, he said.

“It looks like the coldest day of next week is going to be probably Monday,” Shallenberger said, with lows in the lower teens at night.

And the highest chance of any snow next week will be late Sunday into early Monday, with coating maybe coming to an inch, he said.

“The next chance is probably going to be highest on Wednesday,” Shallenberger said. “That could be a mix of rain and snow. We don’t have any official totals yet for that.”