Storm risk coming ahead of break from hot, muggy weather

Some relief from the recent hot and muggy weather is coming, but getting there could a bumpy road for some parts of the Pittsburgh region.

On Wednesday, temperatures reached 92 degrees at Pittsburgh International Airport, where official records are recorded. That fell 4 degrees short of the record high of 96 degrees set in 1994, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Kennedy said.

A high of 90 is expected Thursday. The area was under a heat advisory Wednesday, but not Thursday.

Lingering heat will give way to increasing thunderstorm chance on Thursday. The Storm Predication Center has upgraded parts of the area to an "enhanced" risk. Damaging wind gusts are the primary threat, but incidents of large hail and isolated tornadoes are also possible. pic.twitter.com/1hsnZqMtcB

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) June 15, 2022

There is an “enhanced risk” of severe thunderstorms from mid-afternoon through the early evening, Kennedy said. Damaging wind gusts are the primary threat, with large hail and isolated tornadoes possible.

Storms will begin developing along the Interstate 80 corridor in the mid-afternoon and make their way south and east, he said. There is a stronger chance for storms to the north and east of Pittsburgh.

Kennedy said it will feel much more comfortable on Friday. While the high temperature is forecast to be 83, the dew point will fall from uncomfortable-to-oppressive levels in the upper 60s to low 70s down into the 50s, he said.