461  
FXUS61 KCTP 290801  
AFDCTP  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA  
401 AM EDT TUE SEP 29 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
* NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
1) IMPROVING CONDITIONS TODAY WITH NOTICEABLE WARMUP TO END  
SEPTEMBER AND START OCTOBER  
 
2) COOLING TREND THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH AN  
INCREASING CHANCE OF RAIN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1: IMPROVING CONDITIONS TODAY WITH NOTICEABLE  
WARMUP TO END SEPTEMBER AND START OCTOBER  
 
DREARY START TODAY WITH WIDESPREAD LOW CLOUDS AND PATCHY  
FOG/DRIZZLE. EXPECT GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TODAY WITH MORE CLOUDS  
THAN SUN AND MAX TEMPS +5-10 DEGREES WARMER VS. MONDAY IN THE  
65-75F RANGE.  
 
MORE BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS OVERNIGHT WILL FAVOR LOCALLY DENSE  
VALLEY FOG FORMATION WITH VERY LOW VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS INTO  
EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.  
 
SIZABLE WARMUP EXPECTED FROM MID TO LATE WEEK WITH FCST MAX  
TEMPS IN THE 75-85F RANGE OR +10-15 DEGREES ABOVE THE HISTORICAL  
AVERAGE FOR THE END OF SEPTEMBER/BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. FOR  
CONTEXT, THE AVERAGE LAST DATE OF MAX TEMP >=80F IS 9/27 AT  
STATE COLLEGE, 9/29 AT ALTOONA, 10/2 AT WILLIAMSPORT AND 10/5 AT  
HARRISBURG.  
 
NO RAINFALL IS FORECAST THROUGH THURSDAY WITH SOME SHOWERS  
POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY-FRIDAY NIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH COLD FRONT  
SINKING SOUTHEASTWARD FROM THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES.  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2: COOLING TREND THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK  
WITH AN INCREASING CHANCE OF RAIN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY  
 
24HR MAXT CHANGE ON SATURDAY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT IS FCST TO  
BE 10-15 DEGREES LOWER VS. FRIDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW 60S/70S.  
TRAILING FRONTAL WAVE COULD BRING MORE WIDESPREAD SOAKING RAIN  
ON SUNDAY BASED ON WPC/NBM QPF - ALTHOUGH EC/CMC AND (TO LESSER  
EXTENT) LEAN FARTHER TO THE SOUTH/EAST WITH THE FRONTAL PRECIP.  
CONFIDENCE IS HIGHER THAT TEMPS CONTINUE TO COOL OFF AND DROP  
NEAR OR BELOW THE HISTORICAL AVERAGE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. FROST  
POTENTIAL IS ON THE TABLE FOR NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /07Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/  
 
STILL FEELING THE EFFECTS OF THE RETREATING NOR'EASTER WITH  
LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS AND A SPRAWLING CLOUD DECK ACROSS THE  
REGION. LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE NIGHT,  
LEADING TO THE POTENTIAL FOR MVFR OR IFR RESTRICTIONS AT ALL  
TAF SITES.  
 
EXPECT A 1 CATEGORY DROP ACROSS THE BOARD TONIGHT WITH IFR AT  
BFD AND JST DROPPING TO LIFR, AOO, UNV, AND IPT DROPPING FROM  
MVFR TO IFR, AND LNS AND MDT DROPPING FROM VFR TO MVFR. THE  
LOWEST CEILINGS/VISIBILITY WILL GENERALLY BE BETWEEN 06 AND 13Z  
WITH IMPROVEMENT AREAWIDE THEREAFTER. VFR SHOULD PREVAIL MOST  
PLACES BY LATE AFTERNOON, BUT MVFR MAY LINGER AT BFD AND JST.  
BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS SHOULD PROMOTE FOG FORMATION TUESDAY NIGHT  
AND SOME GUIDANCE IS BEGINNING TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR FAIRLY  
WIDESPREAD VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.  
 
OUTLOOK...  
 
WED...MORNING FOG; THEN SUNSHINE RETURNS WITH MOSTLY VFR  
CONDITIONS.  
 
THU...CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE PM, SOME RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE.  
 
FRI...COLD FROPA WITH SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT.  
 
SAT...UNCERTAINTY ABOUNDS, RAIN/LOWER CIGS POSSIBLE SOUTH,  
BRIGHTER/LESS RESTRICTIONS NORTH.  
 
 
   
CLIMATE  
 
SOGGY SEPTEMBER SOAKER...  
SEPTEMBER 2026 (MTD) PRECIPITATION RANKINGS  
IPT: 11TH WETTEST (6.84")  
MDT: 26TH WETTEST (4.72")  
AOO: 9TH WETTEST (5.58")  
BFD: 10TH WETTEST (4.85")  
JST: 3RD WETTEST (7.31") *SINCE 2000  
STC: 6TH WETTEST (7.90")  
 
 
   
CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
WHAT HAS CHANGED...STEINBUGL  
KEY MESSAGES...STEINBUGL  
DISCUSSION...STEINBUGL  
AVIATION...BANGHOFF/BAUCO  
CLIMATE...STEINBUGL  
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