Despite Pittsburgh being spoiled with such nice weather, rain is needed but when will it arrive?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Today's forecast is looking fantastic, and it may even be the best of the week. Humidity levels are still low.
Morning temperatures dipped to the 40s in a number of areas. Highs today will be in the low 80s with bountiful sunshine. Noon temperatures will be in the mid-70s.
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Let's call today's skies mostly sunny even with a couple of partly cloudy hours expected this afternoon.
Every Thursday morning NOAA's US Drought Monitor releases a report detailing where drought conditions are occurring across the United States. A lot hinges on where the U.S. government is tracking drought including who is eligible for federal funds.
The release of the map is a big deal.
For the past two months, we have seen parts of our area included in the weekly report. With little to no rain impacting our area since Debby dropped several inches on Bedford County, our drought conditions have slowly worsened over the past two weeks. We need some rain and data continues to show little to no rain will be around for the rest of the month.
Looking closer at this week's drought map, many places stayed either the same or very close to the same. Drought conditions are the worst south of I-70 with a slew of communities dealing with "D2 Severe Drought" conditions. Everyone, from the Laurels to the west and south of I-70, is under at least "D1 Moderate Drought" conditions. Severe drought conditions also stretch north of I-70 in a couple of spots. This includes a big push of severe drought into a little more than fifty percent of Westmoreland County. Severe drought conditions in the summer months usually lead to water conservation efforts picking up in local communities.
Water bans sometimes are enacted as well.
Finally, we have seen an impact on local produce in the past when we get to severe drought conditions including an impact to a fall favorite in the way of corn mazes and pumpkins.
The weekend is looking dry. Model data is showing Canadian wildfire smoke having an impact on us on Saturday.
I will call skies mostly cloudy for the day with a haze sitting over the area. I have Saturday highs in the mid-80s. Finally, Sunday is looking dry and nice with highs in the mid-80s.
There is an isolated Sunday rain check.
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