Temperatures Will Suddenly Double in One City

Temperatures are expected to reach the 80s this weekend in Pittsburgh, a sudden change that means the temperature will more than double from Friday morning levels.

On Friday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a message that said daytime high temperatures will soar in parts of the nation, "reaching unseasonably warm levels" in areas like Pittsburgh. Uncommonly high temperatures are also expected from the Southern Plains to the Great Lakes.

In Pittsburgh, temperatures were in the high 30s on Friday morning. They are expected to more than double that when they peak in the low 80s by Sunday afternoon.

A chart shared by the NWS shows the significant change just days after a slew of frost warnings said temperatures would plunge to freezing levels.

"A warming trend expected through the weekend," the NWS Pittsburgh office posted on X (formerly Twitter) with the chart. "Dry weather continues today, before showers move back across the region tonight into Saturday. Sunday should be mainly dry, with just a low chance for showers or thunderstorms north of Pittsburgh, mainly in the afternoon."

NWS meteorologist Colton Milcarek told Newsweek that Pittsburgh's freeze date last occurred on April 22. The latest it's occurred is May 24, and the earliest is March 26.

On average for this time of year, temperature highs are 67 degrees Fahrenheit and lows are 45—making the overnight temperatures this week "cooler than average" and the highs this weekend "unseasonably warm," Milcarek said.

A cold front moved through the region on Wednesday, dropping temperatures far enough that threatened frosty conditions could damage some plants, he said.

"What's been giving us these cool temperatures is the low levels of atmosphere get pretty chilly at nighttime, and if we get clear conditions they are able to drop a good bit lower," Milcarek said. "We are having a pattern change as we go into the weekend and next week."

He said the atmosphere will transition to an "upper-level ridge" this weekend. "Which is really going to give us our high temperatures and allow us to rebound."

Milcarek also said the abrupt temperature change could prove problematic for highly susceptible groups. He suggested that people who are sensitive to heat should take note of the unseasonable warmth if participating in outdoor activities on Sunday and Monday and pack extra water.

In addition to frosty temperatures, Pennsylvania was one of 10 Northeastern and Midwestern states that had prime wildfire conditions earlier this week because of dry conditions, low relative humidity and gusty winds.