PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A sharp overnight temperature plunge will bring the first widespread freeze of the season to parts of western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia late Thursday night into Friday morning. Temperatures are expected to dip into the upper 20s to low 30s, threatening unprotected crops and garden plants.
According to the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office, a Freeze Watch is in effect from 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday for counties including Butler, Clarion, Indiana, Armstrong, Westmoreland, and parts of northern Fayette and Monongalia. Rural valleys could see readings as low as 28°F before sunrise. The agency warns that sensitive vegetation left outdoors may be damaged or killed.
Conditions will moderate Friday afternoon with sunshine and highs in the mid-60s. Saturday remains mild, reaching the upper 60s before clouds increase late in the day. Rain chances rise sharply Saturday night through Sunday as a moisture-laden system moves in from the Ohio Valley.
Motorists along I-79, I-80, and I-70 should prepare for patchy morning frost reducing visibility Friday. Residents are urged to cover outdoor plants, bring pets inside, and disconnect garden hoses to prevent early freeze damage.
According to the Weather Service, light rain will continue into Sunday, tapering by early Monday as cooler air returns.
Five-Day Forecast for Pittsburgh, PA:
Thu: 61/38 – Sunny, turning colder; frost possible late north and east.
Fri: 65/37 – Clear start, cold morning; freeze risk early.
Sat: 68/44 – Mild and partly sunny; rain chance late.
Sun: 65/52 – Cloudy with steady rain; breezy at times.
Mon: 58/42 – Cooler with lingering showers early, gradual clearing later.
