30 July 2024
Today in Pittsburgh we’re looking forward to a week of heavy downpours.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK, Pittsburgh, PA, 30 July 2024— National Weather SErvice Hazardous Weather Outlook for Pittsburgh, PA, July 30 through August 5,2024
Scattered showers and thunderstorms could produce heavy rainfall that creates localized flooding concerns, favoring low lying or urbanized areas.
It’s hard not to notice that Pittsburgh’s climate is changing fairly rapidly into hotter, wetter weather. Climate predictions indicate that 60 years from now, Pittsburgh weather will feel a lot like McCormick, South Carolina does today.
This is bad news for trees that are on the southern edge of their range. Not only do they live a long time but they cannot adapt as fast as our climate is changing. For example, quaking aspens, which prefer cooler weather, will disappear from Pittsburgh by the end of this century. Meanwhile eastern cottonwoods will do just fine.
Pittsburgh’s urban forest and parks are feeling the heat, too. If we do nothing we’ll have fewer and poorer trees in the city 100 years from now.
Fortunately the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is planning for our future forest by testing southern tree species at Fezziwig Grove in Schenley Park. Read about the tree nursery project and Kentucky yellowwood, pictured below, at TribLive: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy forges forest of the future in face of global warming
To visit Fezziwig Grove, use the map at this link.
Wondering what our climate will feel like in the future? Check out this vintage article.