Rain changing to snow could make for messy Tuesday morning commute

After a few days of spring-like weather, snow is forecast to return to the Pittsburgh area early Tuesday, possibly making for a messy morning commute.

Monday will be mostly dry until a storm system from the south arrives later in the day, with rain Monday night changing to snow showers by 2 and 3 a.m. Tuesday, according to WTAE meteorologist Ashley Dougherty.

“The latest has the storm impacting our area (Monday night), between 8 to 10 p.m., starting from the south and moving northward,” Dougherty said. “The latest weather models are showing the low staying a bit further south. With that said, up along Interstate 80 looks to be the least impacted — the position of the low could still change since it is down near the Gulf right now.”

The biggest impacts from snow accumulations are expected east and southeast of Pittsburgh, Dougherty said. A winter storm warning is in place for Cambria and Garrett counties, with a winter storm watch for parts of Westmoreland and Fayette counties.

Anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected in Allegheny County, while the low areas of Westmoreland will see 2 to 4 inches and the ridges up to 6 inches, National Weather Service meteorologist Colton Milcarek said.

“All of this mess looks to be out of the area by 9 a.m. with some lingering, light snow showers through the afternoon,” Dougherty said.

There remains a good bit of uncertainty in the forecast, but the Tuesday morning commute could be messy, Milcarek said.

Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution and allow some extra time Tuesday morning. While road surfaces are quite warm, they could become slushy if snow is heavy enough for long enough, Milcarek said.

Localized heavy snow is possible in the ridges, so drivers should make travel plans accordingly, he said.

While temperatures will be trending cooler, they still will be above average for most of the week. High temperatures are forecast to be in the upper 30s to the low to mid-40s, Milcarek said.