Rain and wildfire smoke return to the Pittsburgh area this weekend
While the temperatures will remain in the 80s and above through the weekend, rain and the return of wildfire smoke are on the horizon.
Watch CBS News
Since June 2015, Ron Smiley has been giving a local and hopefully bright outlook on the day in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.
Born a Texan, Ron grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, after his dad retired from the Air Force. He often times says that if he can grow up under a drill sergeants roof, than he can take anything that life can throw at him.
After graduating from Little Rock Catholic High, Ron pursued his degree at Arkansas Tech University. He has two children.
Before arriving in Pittsburgh, Ron worked in Mississippi and Arkansas along with most recently New Orleans and Indianapolis. He says that his love for the weather developed at a young age as he loved to hang out in the garden and talk clouds with his neighbor Mr. Mike, an employee at the National Weather Service. Ron is a member of the American Meteorological Society and has been rewarded his AMS seal.
In Ron's free time, he loves to cook and explore with his family. You may catch him out and about on a Saturday morning running for a good cause or hanging with his family at a local park or museum. Ron also loves to bike, even though he admits it's a lot more challenging with Pennsylvania hills.
While the temperatures will remain in the 80s and above through the weekend, rain and the return of wildfire smoke are on the horizon.
Sunshine and warm temperatures are expected once again in the Pittsburgh area before some scattered rain this weekend.
Following a day of storms in the region, the pleasant conditions and sunshine return to western Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
Multiple tornado warnings were scattered across western Pennsylvania on Tuesday evening.
Friday will be another day with poor air quality in Pittsburgh as the wildfire smoke worsens.
The Pennsylvania DEP has declared Thursday a Code Red Day due to poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke.
Temperatures will reach into the 90s on Wednesday with hazy skies due to wildfire smoke.
Heat index values today are expected to be in the mid-90s, near 100 degrees.
More rain, including the risk of flooding, will be possible for the Pittsburgh area on Friday.
Areas to the south of Pittsburgh on Thursday can expect rain and storms.
While there is still a chance of rain through the weekend, those chances have decreased in the last 24 hours.
A number of small factors are expected to bring a significant flash flood risk to the Pittsburgh area.
Friday will be the fourth straight day with extreme heat, but storm chances are also possible.
Sunday will have isolated rain and storm chances before a six-day heat wave moves into the area.
Rain chances will linger throughout the day on Saturday before the heat moves in next week.