Hot weather expected next 2 days, new record possible Saturday

The Pittsburgh region is set to get its first taste of 90-degree weather this year, but the heatwave is going to be brief.

The high temperature is expected to get to near 90 on Friday and into the lower 90s for Saturday, National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Modzelewski said.

The record highs for both days are more than 110 years old, and there’s a chance for at least tying, if not setting, a new record on Saturday.

The record highs for both days are 92, both set in 1911, Modzelewski said.

Here are the probabilities of exceeding 90 degrees tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/mmnQPCzCV4

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) May 19, 2022

The average high is around 72 degrees, he said. It will be a little warmer than that Thursday, with the high expected to reach 78, which will be 18 degrees higher than Wednesday’s high of 60.

The cause of the heat is southerly winds bringing in warmer air across the region through the weekend.

The mercury will start coming down Sunday, when the high is expected to be 85 degrees, Modzelewski said. The record for that day, 93, also dates from 1911.

A cold front coming through Sunday could trigger some strong to possibly severe storms in the afternoon and early evening hours, Modzelewski said. That will knock Monday’s high down to the mid-60s.