PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A widespread, soaking rain is set to return to western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio by Tuesday night, bringing some of the most substantial moisture the region has seen in weeks. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh reports that most locations have a 60–85% chance of receiving at least a half inch of rain between Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to the National Weather Service, the most likely corridor for heavier rainfall stretches from Canton, Ohio, through Youngstown and Cranberry Township to Oil City, Pennsylvania, where probabilities exceed 75%. The system should track slowly eastward through early Wednesday, with rainfall tapering by late afternoon.
With drought and dry soil conditions lingering across much of the region, forecasters note that the rain will be beneficial, though ponding on roads and reduced visibility could briefly impact travel during the Wednesday morning commute. PennDOT advises drivers to allow extra travel time and watch for hydroplaning on interstates including I-79, I-80, and I-76 (the Pennsylvania Turnpike).
Temperatures will stay seasonable, in the upper 60s Tuesday and cooling into the mid-50s by Wednesday night as the front passes. Residents are encouraged to clear storm drains and check sump pumps, particularly in low-lying areas prone to standing water.
Rainfall totals of a half to one inch are expected, with isolated pockets nearing 1.5 inches in the higher terrain of western Pennsylvania before drier air returns midweek.
