Pittsburgh-area temperatures drop well below zero degrees overnight with dangerous wind chills
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Temperatures dipped well below zero degrees overnight in the Pittsburgh area with dangerously low wind chills on top of the frigid conditions.
In the city of Pittsburgh, temperatures dipped to -9 degrees, the lowest recorded since 2015.
Outside of the city in places like Franklin and Butler, temperatures dropped to -10 degrees with wind chills as low as -25 degrees. Temperatures as low as -15 were recorded in the city of Washington.
For some, Wednesday morning will bring the coldest temperatures they have seen in decades.
A look inside how Cranberry Township monitors its roads during cold weather
When cold weather hits the Pittsburgh area, the Public Works department in Cranberry Township has some high-tech help to keep the roads as clear as possible from snow and ice.
Public Works Director Kelly Maurer says the township has several temperature sensors embedded under roadways to determine whether or not they need to deploy salt trucks to a certain part of the area.
The sensors were installed as part of a pilot program last year and had three sensors. Since then, an additional four sensors were installed, giving the township a total of seven. The sensors are placed in what Maurer called "critical areas" that her department monitors daily.
In addition to giving real-time temperature feedback, the sensors also help with forecasting, giving a 72-hour outlook to the department to help know what is coming in the near future.
Maurer says the sensors helped the township save around $200,000 last year by not sending crews out unnecessarily.
What you should and shouldn't do when warming up your vehicle in extremely cold weather
The brutal temperatures can take a toll on your vehicle.
If you let your car warm up for 10 to 15 minutes, the fluids will help warm up your transmission, it will function better and will ultimately protect your engine.
You don't want to let the vehicle run for 30 minutes or more because you run the risk of missing a malfunction in the vehicle and that will cause more harm the good. Also, never leave your vehicle running in a closed space like a garage.
When it comes to fueling up, it's recommended to keep the tank at least half full.
Pittsburgh-area school closings and delays
Nearly 200 schools and organizations have either closed, implemented delays, gone virtual, or otherwise altered their plans for the day due to the extremely cold conditions outside.
A full list of closings and delays can be found here.
