Subzero wind chills have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a cold weather advisory covering the Pittsburgh area that will be in effect from 9 p.m. Monday to noon Tuesday.
In the Pittsburgh metro area, the windchill Monday night is expected to reach 10 below zero, the requirement for an advisory to be issued, meteorologist Matt Brudy said.
Closer to Interstate 80 and in the higher elevations, the windchill could get down to -15 to -20, he said.
The high temperature for Monday is forecast to be 27, below the normal of 36, while the low is expected to be 7, further below the normal low of 21, Brudy said.
The record low air temperature of 22 below zero for Monday night set in 1994 will stand.
Windchills are expected to be below zero Tuesday morning, which may prompt schools to change schedules. The New Kensington-Arnold School District cited the projected cold temperatures in announcing it will operate on a flexible instruction day for Tuesday, which will see students not report to school.
Other community services may also be impacted. The Bethel-St. Clair Meals on Wheels will be closed Tuesday morning, reported TribLive news partner WTAE, which provides a full list of closings and delays online.
There will not be much relief from the cold on Tuesday, Brudy said, as the high will be in the teens and windchills at their warmest will be in the single digits above zero.
Brudy advised residents to check on the elderly and those with health issues, and to not leave pets outside for a long time in the extreme cold.
Temperatures are expected to get closer to normal by later in the week, he said.