Massive Winter Storm Forming; See Initial Snow Predictions For Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA — A major winter storm is due to strike much of the nation this weekend, and Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania likely will not be spared from seeing accumulating snow from it.

The question is just how much snow Western Pennsylvania will get from it.

State College-based AccuWeather said the snow and ice storm will impact more than 150 million people in more than two dozens states in the southern and eastern parts of the country. AccuWeather says to expect difficult travel conditions, power outages and dangerously cold temperatures from the South and Plains to the Northeast.

The National Weather Service has not offered a specific prediction on how much snow to expect but has outlined three different scenarios depending on how the storm tracks.

If the storm stays well to the south, the area ends up with very little to no snow, with accumulations of less than an inch. This scenario is around 20 percent likely at this point, and if it happens the weather would be mostly dry but temperatures would be 20 to 30 degrees below average.

If the storm track forms to the south and then curves north as it heads toward the mid-Atlantic region, Western Pennsylvania would see snow but not the worst of the storm. Accumulations would be more than inch but less than six inches. This scenario is around 50 percent at this point.

You likely won't like the third scenario but here it is: If the storm forms to the south then curves up the spine of the Appalachians before reforming off the coast, the region would see the heaviest snow from the storm. Accumulations likely range from more than six inches to as much as 12 inches. This scenario currently is 30 percent likely at this time.

The weather service is forecasting a 60 percent chance of snow on Saturday night, a 70 percent chance on Sunday and a 40 percent chance on Sunday night.

According to The Weather Channel, snow will begin Saturday evening and accumulate three to five inches. But that's just the beginning. On Sunday, The Weather Channel says to expect another five to eight inches, with another inch possible overnight. Potentially, that means eight to 13 inches of snow could accumulate.

AccuWeather is calling for 2.6 inches of snow on Saturday night and another 2.6 inches on Sunday for a total of 5.2 inches from the storm.

Patch will share storm updates as the forecast becomes clearer.