Pittsburg, PA
Will Pittsburgh have a white Christmas? Here’s how the forecast is shaping up
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — If you’re looking for a white Christmas, the large-scale weather pattern may not end up being in Pittsburgh’s favor this year.
The early part of this week featured a brief thaw after a short-lived cold snap last week. Colder air will make a return to the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region this upcoming weekend. A large trough or dip in the jet stream will result in a surge of Arctic air to push south toward our region.
It will not be extremely or dangerously cold as the air mass will modify or lose its original potency as it loses latitude with southward progression. Still we expect high temperatures to be 5 to 15 degrees below average on Saturday, Sunday and Monday next week.
Warm-up arrives for Christmas
Just in time for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the large-scale weather pattern is projected to shift across the entire country. The general consensus among model guidance is for the deep trough of cold air to lift out of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Northeast and be replaced with a more zonal or west to east flow from the Plains and Pacific West Coast.
This will result in a substantial and likely long-lasting warming trend that will carry us from Christmas onwards. The Climate Prediction Center has shaded virtually all of the Contiguous U.S. in a moderate to high probability of warmer than normal temperatures in their Dec. 24 to Dec. 30 outlook.
While we are likely going to be shifting into a pattern with above average temperatures around Christmas, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be sunny either. Surges of warm air often come with moisture in this part of the world, so we could be looking at more clouds and possibly some rain chances around Christmas. Perhaps if you’re fortunate enough to have elevation or latitude working in your favor, you may be able to squeeze out some snow in Western Pennsylvania, but as of now, things aren’t looking too great.
What are the odds of a white Christmas in Pittsburgh?
Statistically, the probability of Pittsburgh seeing a white Christmas is around 25%, so the odds are often in favor of no white Christmas— especially from Pittsburgh south and west. Odds increase farther north toward Lake Erie where lake-enhanced snows help raise this potential and in the Laurel Highlands which usually are the first to receive wintry precipitation because of their higher elevation and more frequent time spent above the freezing level.
Here’s how the odds are shaping up for this year.
A man from Fayette County has been arrested and is facing over 1,000 charges related to alleged animal cruelty and neglect.
Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said that John Saxberg, 57, is facing charges in connection with what he called “a suspected illegal kennel operation” in Washington Township.
According to DA Aubele, Saxberg is accused of subjecting numerous animals to “deplorable conditions” and “circumstances constituting torture,” adding that approximately ten animals suffered serious bodily injuries.
Court records show that Saxberg is facing 1,029 criminal charges in total with offenses including aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals, neglect of animals, penalties related to dog licensing, and violations of vaccine requirements.
52 of the charges that Saxberg is facing are felonies, according to court records.
Online court paperwork shows that Saxberg was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon and is being held in the Fayette County Prison after bail was posted at $85,000.
A preliminary hearing for Saxberg is scheduled for late next week.
An Allegheny County park with 200-year-old trees has been added to a growing network of protected and publicly accessible old-growth forests.
Local leaders announced on Tuesday that Hartwood Acres is now part of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which consists of over 340 forests, though this is Allegheny County’s first.
The 692-acre property features a Tudor mansion built in 1929, and while about a quarter of the park is maintained, the other 75% is forested. Some of the oldest trees include a black oak that’s over 200 years old, and a sugar maple and red oak that are nearing 200 years old.
“Hartwood Acres is one of Allegheny County’s greatest natural treasures, and this designation recognizes both the ecological value of these forests and the generations of stewardship that have protected them,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said in a press release. “As we work to build an Allegheny County where everyone can thrive, that includes ensuring residents have access to clean air, green spaces, and the opportunity to connect with nature close to home.”
The Old-Growth Forest Network, founded in 2012, aims to create a national network of protected, mature and native forests that are accessible to the public. The goal is to preserve at least one forest in every U.S. county that can sustain a forest.
“The importance of the preservation of these rare forests cannot be overemphasized,” said Brian Kane, the Mid-Atlantic regional manager with the Old-Growth Forest Network. “As seen at Hartwood Acres, forests perform critical environmental services that benefit communities, such as storing carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and retaining stormwater. OGFN is grateful that Allegheny County values its old-growth forests and will enable its residents and visitors to marvel at these old hardwoods far into the future as they grow even more mature and majestic.”
An overturned truck spilled hazardous materials onto the 62nd Street Bridge late Monday night and crews spent several hours working to contain the spill.
The Cherry City Volunteer Fire Company said it was assistant on a “large scale hazmat incident” along with crews from Allegheny County Emergency Services and the city of Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Fire.
A truck turned onto its side on the Sharpsburg side of the Senator Robert D. Fleming Bridge, also known as the 62nd Street Bridge, late Monday night and the fire company said crews were working to contain the leak.
An aerial view from the KDKA Drone Team around 3 a.m. Tuesday showed the large response from crews working at the scene of the crash.
A first responder told KDKA’s news crew at the scene that the chemical that was spilled was peroxide and the fire company said crews were working to keep the material from entering drainage systems.
Around 4 a.m. Tuesday, the fire company provided an update and said that all “hazardous materials have been mitigated,” but that the bridge is expected to remain closed for an extended period of time.
Drivers are being urged to use alternate routes for the morning commute.
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