Pittsburgh sees sub-zero wind chills Tuesday morning
A cold weather advisory was issued for parts of the Pittsburgh area with sub-zero wind chills hitting the region Tuesday morning.
The National Weather Service put the cold weather advisory in place for Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and parts of Fayette and Westmoreland counties through 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
The NWS said that air temperatures in the single digits with elevated wind would result in bitter cold wind chills for the area. Wind chills as low as -13 degrees were expected for some places in the Pittsburgh area. Places farther north like Oil City could have seen wind chills from -15 to -25 degrees.
When wind chills reach -15 degrees, hypothermia can set in if the proper precautions aren't taken, including wearing the appropriate clothing, hats, and gloves.
Nearly 100 schools and organizations throughout the Pittsburgh area have issued delays or adjusted plans for the day due to the extremely cold weather.
The City of Pittsburgh will have six Healthy Active Living Centers activated as warming shelters that will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The NWS says even if your county or area isn't included in the cold weather advisory, you still should exercise caution and protect yourself, your pets, your plants, and your pipes.
Tips for braving the cold
There are a few things to keep in mind over the next few days to make sure you, your pets and your home survive the bitter blast.
Make sure you change your furnace filter to ensure it runs efficiently. Keep your thermostat at the same temperature around the clock. If you heat with propane, make sure your tank is above 20%.
Open your vents in the basement to protect your pipes from freezing.
If you're going to use a space heater, make sure the area around it is clean and always plug them directly into the wall. Don't use an extension cord and never use them while sleeping.
And remember: if it's too cold for you, it's too cold for your pets, so bring them inside. Experts say time outside should be limited, so keep the walks to 10 to 15 minutes.
Cold weather is going to be sticking around this week
Pittsburghers woke up Tuesday to single-digit lows and sub-zero wind chills. It'll be the same for some Wednesday, but the winds are diminishing, so it's not going to feel as cold.
There will be sunshine again on Tuesday, but highs will be only in the upper teens. Highs stay below freezing through Friday and it'll still feel below zero for some areas again through Thursday morning.
The area could see a few snow showers on Thursday morning. Most of the snow is tracking south and in the Laurel Highlands and ridges. Those areas could see 2 to 3 inches but the Pittsburgh area could pick up 1 inch.
Temperatures could return back to the 40s for the end of the weekend and next week. Near-normal temperatures continue as we wrap up February and head into March.
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