Pittsburgh area under winter weather advisory with snow expected during Thursday commute
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Another round of snow is heading for the Pittsburgh area, starting Thursday morning and continuing through the evening commute.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for the entire area from 4 a.m. Thursday until 4 a.m. Friday for widespread snow accumulation. A winter storm warning is also in place for parts of the Laurel Highlands and ridges.
Wednesday is still freezing with wind chills in the single digits and below 0. It stays cold through Thursday morning, then snow starts around 7 or 8 a.m.
Delays are looking likely with a wide range of 1 to 3 inches in and around Pittsburgh. These will continue for the evening commute, with the Laurel Highlands and ridges getting the worst, with 4 to 6 inches possible.
Temperatures on Friday get back to the low to mid-30s and mostly cloudy. Saturday will be even warmer with lows back in the mid to upper 20s and highs at or near 40 degrees with rain switching to snow. Snow will melt and roads will get slushy then refreeze again Sunday with falling temperatures back to the 20s all day.
Monday and Tuesday morning are going to be extremely cold with lows in the single digits Monday and highs only in the upper teens. Tuesday will be the worst day with possible cancellations because actual temperatures will be below 0 and highs only in the single digits as of right now which is why they are KDKA First Alert Weather Days.
Allegheny County Public Works warns of slick spots
Allegheny County's Department of Public Works warns that because of traffic during the morning commute, it will take longer for crews to finish their routes, meaning there may be light accumulation and slick spots.
"It typically takes our drivers about one to two hours to complete our routes and then about an hour to return to the nearest maintenance garage, reload with salt, and restart the routes. It probably will take our drivers longer than that tomorrow morning because of the added traffic on the roads during the morning commute. So, there will likely be light accumulation and slick spots on our roadways at times tomorrow morning," Allegheny County Public Works Director Stephen Shanley said in a statement.
Shanley says the heaviest snow is expected during the morning commute, so it's recommended that drivers leave for work earlier than usual. Drivers are also encouraged to slow down, leave extra space between their car and the one in front of them and stay six car lengths behind salt trucks.
Pittsburgh's Public Works department echoed Shanley's statements, telling residents to prepare for a slightly longer commute. Pittsburgh residents are also asked to avoid parking on the street, if possible, to help snow plows clear roads faster.
You can check who is responsible for plowing your road — whether it's the county, state or municipality — online.