Rain is moving through Pittsburgh ahead of a cold front.
The cold front was likely to hit by the evening of Sept. 17, according to the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh. Ahead of the front, storms were likely to sweep through much of Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Ohio and West Virginia and the westernmost parts of Maryland, bringing a slight risk of flash flooding to the area.
Here's what to know.
Pittsburgh sees storms ahead of Sept. 17 cold front
Western Pennsylvania faced a marginal risk of flooding, as well as the potential for gusty winds ahead of a cold front on Sept. 17, according to NWS. That same risk was in effect for the eastern part of Ohio, northern parts of West Virginia and the westernmost part of Maryland.
A cold front was likely to move through the region by the evening
of Sept. 17, with showers and thunderstorms expected to develop over the Pittsburgh area throughout the day. The most unstable conditions were expected west of the area in southeastern Ohio, which could see isolated flooding and a strong storm.
Despite the oncoming cold front, temperatures were expected to remain above average compared to typical September weather. As more storms develop into next week, there's the potential for flash flooding throughout the region, depending on how much rainfall they bring.
7-day forecast in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh was likely to see a damp Thursday followed by a storm-free Friday, then days of rain over the weekend and heading into the next week, according to NWS. Here's a look at the forecast:
- Thursday, Sept. 17: High of 84, low of 66; 80% chance of daytime rain, 30% chance of nighttime rain.
- Friday, Sept. 18: High of 80, low of 60; partly cloudy skies.
- Saturday, Sept. 19: High of 80, low of 66; 80% chance of nighttime rain.
- Sunday, Sept. 20: High of 80, low of 61; 90% chance of daytime storms, 30% chance of nighttime rain.
- Monday, Sept. 21: High of 74, low of 62; 30% chance of daytime rain, 50% chance of nighttime rain.
- Tuesday, Sept. 22 (first day of fall): High of 74, low of 60; 50% chance of daytime rain, 50% chance of nighttime rain.
- Wednesday, Sept. 23: High of 74; 40% chance of daytime rain.
Average September temperature, rainfall in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's average September temperatures typically hang in the 60s and occasionally rise to the very low 70s, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
September's rainfall in Pittsburgh varies widely depending on the year, NOAA data shows, though NWS says an average of about 3.30 inches is typical. In the past 10 years, rainfall has ranged between under one inch to 8.5 inches. Between 1948 and 2025, the September with the most rainfall took place in 2004, when the city recorded 10.06 inches. The driest September took place in 1985, when Pittsburgh saw 0.28 inches of rain.As of the morning of Sept. 17, Pittsburgh had seen 4.12 inches of rainfall since the start of the month, according to NWS.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Storms, flood risk hit Pittsburgh ahead of cold front. Temps, forecast
