Syndicated Local

Frigid Temperatures Set In, Schools Close

January 3, 2014 / 7:35 AM EST / CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – The first winter storm of 2014 scattered inches of snow across the area, but now bitterly cold temperatures have a grip on Pittsburgh.

Several inches of snow fell Thursday into Friday, but highways across the area are generally clear.

More than 500 were without power in the McCandless area, but service was restored Friday afternoon.

Pittsburgh Public Schools decided to close Friday due to the weather.

Governor Tom Corbett told state employees to report two hours late.

Some pre-dawn temperatures were in the single digits. Highways were plowed, with slushy or icy passing lanes, and many secondary roads were plowed but icy.

Maintenance workers and plow drivers were working overtime.

They include John Kadunce, who was gassing up at a convenience store in Creighton, about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. He was on his way in to his job supervising maintenance at a suburban Pittsburgh office park at 5 a.m., about an hour earlier than usual, to plow the parking lots and shovel the walks, and he was unhappy with the condition of the main road.

"They should really salt this road here," Kadunce said. "A truck just went by and it's not in very good shape."

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service is warning that gusts of up to 30 miles per hour could bring wind chills to minus 25 degrees, cold enough to cause frostbite in about 30 minutes or less.

The weather service said people should dress warmly to avoid hypothermia and cover all exposed skin.
We'll see blustery and cold conditions Friday with clouds breaking for sun in the afternoon. But while we may get some sunshine, the high will only be 16 degrees.

A Wind Chill Advisory remains in effect through noon Friday for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Venango and Washington counties.

Over the weekend, there will be a warm up before a second arctic blast moves in.

On Saturday, we'll see an increase of at least 20 degrees with temperatures in the mid-30s, and Sunday the high will be close to 40 degrees.

The second arctic blast will move in on Monday and Tuesday. Verszyla says this one will be even colder.

Forecasters say temperatures will be the coldest we've seen in about five years.

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