Winter’s icy grip on Pittsburgh is expected to tighten in the coming days, with the region set for more snow Thursday and an Arctic blast early next week that could produce the lowest temperatures in decades.
Pittsburgh is projected to receive up to 3 inches of snow Thursday, with some of the heaviest snowfall expected during the morning commute — most will fall between roughly 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., said Colton Milcarek, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon.
With temperatures dropping to about 10 degrees overnight Wednesday, some road salt will not work as efficiently, Mr. Milcarek said, so potentially slippery conditions could greet drivers on treated — and untreated — roads Thursday morning.
Allegheny County announced they will send out 27 salt trucks with plows to treat county roads as snow starts to fall overnight but said the process may take longer than usual because of morning commuter traffic.
“Because the heaviest snowfall tomorrow might occur during the morning commute, we suggest you leave for work earlier than usual,” the county’s Department of Public Works said in a statement. “We also encourage you to slow down, leave extra space between your vehicle and the one in front of you, and stay six car lengths behind our salt trucks.”
The City of Pittsburgh asked residents to avoid parking on the street if possible to allow for quicker treatment of city roads. The city said it takes 24 hours after snow stops to treat all city roads, with priority given to roads leading to hospitals, public safety facilities and emergency routes.
The NWS issued a winter weather advisory in effect from 4 a.m. Thursday to 4 a.m. Friday.
Another round of accumulating snow is expected on Thursday morning and will impact the morning rush hour as cold temperatures will allow for efficient accumulation on roadways. Be sure to drive carefully in the morning. pic.twitter.com/icq7Z2uXCn
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) January 15, 2025
Wintry precipitation could also continue this weekend, with a possible combination of rain, freezing rain and snow Saturday and a chance for a few snow showers Sunday, the NWS said.
With the low temperature Saturday night dipping to around 21, any remaining precipitation would likely change to snow. There is also the chance for rain and melted snow to refreeze overnight Saturday, NWS meteorologist Matt Brudy said.
Arctic blast coming next week
Pittsburgh’s winter will get only more extreme early next week. A mass of frigid, dry air from near the North Pole will descend upon the region beginning Sunday, leading to the lowest temperatures of the season — and potentially the lowest in 30 years.
Temperatures are expected to plummet to the single digits overnight Sunday. They may not get back to the teens until Thursday or later. Wind chills might remain below zero from Sunday night until Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Brudy said.
“It is going to be dangerous wind chills,” he said.
We are expecting very cold temperatures during the first half of next week. There is high confidence in minimum temperatures being below 0°F both Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Pittsburgh hasn't seen a high temperature below 6°F during the month of January since 1994. pic.twitter.com/8ws7bnYGwe
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) January 15, 2025
The forecast high temperature for Monday is 10 degrees, with an overnight low of around 6 below zero. On Tuesday, the high might not surpass 5 degrees — which hasn’t happened since January 1994, Mr. Milcarek said.
Pittsburgh hasn’t seen air temperatures in the negatives since December 2022, but overnight lows next week could dip to minus 10. Wind chills on Monday and Tuesday night might be as low as 20 to 25 below zero.
“The time to start preparing for this is now,” Mr. Milcarek said of the Arctic blast. “We're expecting significant impacts from extreme cold air coming down across the area, so … reschedule any outdoor events, minimize your time outdoors, and make sure to check up on your loved ones.”
Unusually usual winter
The winter has produced 16.6 inches of snow through Tuesday, right on pace for Pittsburgh’s historical average of about 44 inches per season.
But this more normal winter comes after two years of record low snowfall — the area has already surpassed last winter’s snow total, with about half of meteorological winter (December through February) remaining.
Pittsburgh has received more snow at this point than it had in the last four winters, Mr. Milcarek said.
It’s only poked above freezing three days in January so far, NWS records show, and the month as a whole is 6.6 degrees below normal — with the coldest weather yet expected next week.
If the month finishes below its historical average, it will be the first time that’s happened since June 2023. It’s shaping up to be possibly the coldest winter since at least 2015, Mr. Milcarek said.
Ice floes emerge
With cold temperatures projected to persist, ice will continue to develop and thicken on Pittsburgh’s rivers.
That can lead to ice jams, where ice blocks the flow of the river and can cause localized flooding.
The NWS is not currently forecasting any ice jams, but they become more likely depending on how the ice and snow melts.
If it gradually thaws over a series of days at around normal temperatures, the ice can safely make its way down the river, Mr. Milcarek said. But if heavy rain rapidly melts the snowpack and pours water into the rivers, flooding will become more of a threat, particularly in February and March.
Closings
Pittsburgh Public Schools announced late Wednesday that schools would be closed Thursday.
A full list of closures can be found on the website of Post-Gazette news partner KDKA-TV.
First Published: January 15, 2025, 10:00 p.m.
Updated: January 17, 2025, 2:58 p.m.