An extreme cold watch was issued for the entire Pittsburgh area next week. Here's the last time it was this frigid.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An extreme cold watch has been issued for the entire Pittsburgh area next week, starting Sunday night and lasting through Thursday morning. The region could see some of the coldest air in almost a decade.
Temperatures will fall through the day Sunday back to the teens and will keep falling through Monday. The Pittsburgh area will have over 48 hours feeling below zero for many areas which can be extremely dangerous for anyone outdoors for a long period of time as well as pets.
What is an extreme cold watch?
The National Weather Service says it issues an extreme cold watch when dangerously cold temperatures or wind chill values are possible.
The NWS recommends that you adjust your plans under a watch to avoid going outside during the coldest parts of the day. Make sure your car has at least half a tank of gas and your winter survival kit is updated, the NWS says.
An extreme cold warning will be issued when extremely dangerous temperatures or wind chill values are expected or are happening. When a warning is issued, the National Weather Service recommends avoiding going outside.
When was the last time it was this cold?
The forecasted low on Wednesday is -8 degrees. The last time the area was that cold was on Feb. 24, 2015, when it was -9 degrees, KDKA First Alert Meteorologist Ray Petelin said.
The last time Pittsburgh International Airport recorded a high temperature less than 10 degrees was on Jan. 31, 2019. The last time a low temperature below zero happened was on Dec. 24, 2022, said KDKA First Alert Meteorologist Trey Fulbright.