Frigid now, but forecasters say coldest temps still to come

More than 300 schools and community centers closed down Tuesday as the region battled subzero wind chills and blustery conditions.

But we haven’t even felt the worst of it yet, forecasters said.

“The coldest night will be tonight, and we should be looking at -8 or -9 tomorrow morning,” said Chris Leonardi, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon.

“It wouldn’t surprise me to see -15 in some outlying areas.”

Dozens of school districts pivoted to remote learning, or flexible instruction days, including Burrell, Deer Lakes, Greater Latrobe, Hempfield and Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Others, like Highlands and Greensburg-Salem, just closed for the day.

Highlands officials posted to Facebook that families should be prepared for additional school cancellations or delays on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Since the district has utilized the five flexible instruction days allotted by PDE, make-up days will be scheduled for canceled school days throughout the remainder of the year,” the message read.

At Deer Lakes, officials have already made the decision for students to learn from home Tuesday and Wednesday.

For a complete list of school closings and delays, WTAE has an online list.

The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory for the region, where many areas will see readings below zero, Leonardi said.

“The main story is the cold,” he said. “When you factor in the wind, the wind chill could sit at -25 today.”

Frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes on exposed skin. Pets are also susceptible to the effects of the cold ground, so owners are urged to limit exposure for their animals.

It’s been nearly three years since Pittsburgh saw below-zero temperatures. On Jan. 27, 2022, Pittsburgh International Airport reported a reading of -6 degrees.

Leonardi said the airport is currently at zero degrees.

WTAE meteorologist Ashley Dougherty said an extreme cold warning has been issued for the ridges of the Laurel Highlands, with wind chills expected to plummet as low as -30 through early Wednesday.

A quick system is expected to drop snow showers late Tuesday with less than an inch in most areas.

Leonardi said the snow could cause issues with the evening commute, depending on timing.

The good news is that by Thursday, temperatures could feel downright warm as they climb into the mid to upper 20s, he said.

“That would usually feel really cold but it’s all about perspective,” he said.

The Pittsburgh area is expected to climb above freezing, with temperatures in the mid-30s, this weekend.