Fall weather finally coming to Western Pa. as high temps dissipate

Southwestern Pennsylvania’s seemingly endless summer is finally over, and true fall temperatures are finally on the way.

The region had been under a warm weather system that came from the south for weeks.

“It was very strong, it’s something we don’t really see,” said Shannon Hefferan, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon.

Temperatures in September and the first few days of October regularly topped 80 degrees. Wednesday’s low temperature was 69 degrees, breaking a warmest low temperature record that stood since 1884.

The warm weather system has finally moved on. Temperatures dropped from nearly 90 degrees Thursday to the 50s on Friday.

Lows in the 40s this week, Hefferan said.

“We’re still a little bit above average, but not as much as we were before,” she said.

Local farmers are keeping an eye on the changing temperatures. The balmy September has meant an extended growing season

“When we get a frost is when it’s going to end,” said Randy Morris, of Morris Organic farm in Irwin. “Last year we didn’t have a frost until November, so we had a similar good year,” he said.

It’s too early to say when the first serious frost of the season will hit, but the weather service is not issuing a frost notice for this week, according to Hefferan. “It’s a fairly low chance that we could have any widespread frost,” she said.

The Pittsburgh region almost always sees its first frost before the end of October, according to the weather service.