Pittsburgh, PA – Freezing rain is expected to create hazardous travel conditions Friday across parts of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and northern West Virginia, prompting the National Weather Service to issue multiple Winter Weather Advisories ahead of post-holiday travel.
According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday for portions of east-central Ohio, southwest and western Pennsylvania, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia. Ice accumulations are expected to range from a light glaze to one-tenth of an inch, enough to make roads slick.
Counties included in this advisory span Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington counties in Pennsylvania, along with Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, and Jefferson counties in Ohio, and Hancock and Brooke counties in West Virginia. The advisory includes the Pittsburgh metro area, as well as cities such as Beaver Falls, Washington, Steubenville, Weirton, Salem, and East Liverpool.
A separate Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect from 8 a.m. Friday through 1 a.m. Saturday for Mercer, Lawrence, Butler, and Westmoreland counties in Pennsylvania, as well as parts of northern West Virginia, where ice accumulations of one to two tenths of an inch are possible. The higher elevations of Fayette County are also included, where a light snow and ice mix could produce up to two-tenths of an inch of ice.
The National Weather Service warns that roads, bridges, and overpasses will likely become slick and hazardous, particularly during Friday’s daytime travel window. Even light ice accumulation can lead to spin-outs, crashes, and slow-moving traffic.
Drivers are urged to slow down, increase following distance, and avoid sudden braking. Travelers should check real-time road conditions by dialing 511 and continue monitoring weather updates as conditions evolve.
