470 FXUS61 KCTP 070905 AFDCTPArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 505 AM EDT Sun Sep 7 2025
.SYNOPSIS... * A large area of high pressure builds into the state today and brings generally dry conditions with partly to mostly sunny and low daytime humidity for at least the next 5 days after any early morning valley fog dissipates by 10 AM. * More clouds and a few lake effect rain showers will be found today into tonight across the Northwest corner of PA * The potential for frost moves back into the picture for Monday and Tuesday mornings across the typical cold spots in northern PA.
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.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... Multi-layered cloud cover and some patchy light rain will linger into the late morning hours across our far SE counties and the Western Poconos, beneath the thermally direct, right entrance region of a 105 kt, swrly upper level jet.
Brief clearing just to the west of this cloud area will likely fill in quickly with a southeastward expanding area of strato cu, as the cooler Canadian airmass drifts over the relatively warm waters of the Glakes. In fact, delta T from the lake (21C off Erie) to 850 mb (3C) is well over the required 13C for Lake Effect rain showers. The NBM (because of timing and spatial differences of the LER bands greatly dampens out the banded nature and inland extent of the precip.
Measurable precip will make it about as far inland as a Coudersport to Ridgway line today with a few to several hundredths of an inch expected. Aside from a sprinkle or two, the Allegheny Front and Central Ridge and Valley region will stay dry.
A moderately gusty, west wind and refreshingly low humidity will make for a perfect fall day.
High temps today will be about the same as Saturday across the portion of the state between Interstate 81 and I-90, while the SE counties cool off by about 5 degrees relative to Saturday.
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.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM MONDAY/... The base of an upper trough will move over the Lower Great Lakes and PA early tonight, with a fairly rapid change in orientation, intensity and location of the LER rain bands from KERI east to the RT 219 corridor as the llvl flow/fetch becomes more orthogonal to the long axis of Lake Erie. Some multi-band LER showers will bring an additional few to several hundredths of an inch of QPF.
Mostly clear skies are on tap for the rest of the Commonwealth as temperatures trend a bit below average for this time of year.
High pressure will move directly overhead on Monday morning, bringing high confidence in river valley fog and frost across northern PA. A few spots could even experience their first freeze of the year. Frost Advisories will be needed for portions of northern PA. Lows on Monday morning will range from near freezing in McKean County to near 50 in the Lower Susquehanna Valley thanks to ideal radiational cooling conditions and a very dry airmass (10th percentile PWATs for this time of year).
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.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... The fall-like pattern will continue through the week ahead. The airmass moving overhead will be the coolest of the season so far. Highs in the 60s and 70s will pair with lows in the 30s to 50s. Frost formation is possible again Tuesday morning for the typical cool spots in northwest PA with river valley fog continuing each morning through the end of the week. Abundant sunshine and dry conditions are favored, with temperatures gradually increasing each day thanks to a building ridge aloft.
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.AVIATION /08Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... A few, light showers will linger around MDT and LNS through sunrise, but no reductions are expected. Also toward sunrise, patchy fog should develop north and west of UNV, but confidence on any restrictions at BFD, JST, and IPT is low. Cloud cover will increase over northwest PA towards sunrise and lake effect rain showers are expected at BFD during the day on Sunday. The rest of the region will be dry with VFR conditions.
Outlook...
Sun-Mon...Clearing with primarily VFR conditions. Breezy.
Tue-Thur...VFR.
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.CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SYNOPSIS...Lambert/NPB NEAR TERM...Lambert/NPB SHORT TERM...Lambert/Banghoff LONG TERM...Lambert/Banghoff AVIATION...Gartner/RXR
NWS CTP Office Area Forecast Discussion