Jan 23, 2026 By Mike Jones 4 min read

Uncertainty about this weekend’s snowfall – with the forecast predicting at least six inches of snow and some models showing the possibility of up to a foot-and-a-half – has road crews hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

The area will be in a winter storm watch beginning Saturday night that will almost certainly be upgraded to a warning as the heaviest snowfall is expected to start Sunday morning and continue through the day and overnight into Monday.

The heaviest snow is tracking north, putting Fayette, Greene and Washington counties at the higher end of accumulation. Jason Frazier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said the area is most likely to see between 8 and 12 inches through Monday morning, but a “couple of scenarios could play out” to push those totals higher or lower.

“The low-pressure system [is pushing] a little farther north and bringing a higher snowfall amount to the area, which is putting the chance for prolonged periods of moderate to high levels of snow very much in play,” Frazier said. “There is still variability in those snowfall totals.”

That has county public safety departments, local road crews and the state Department of Transportation on their toes as they prepare for every possible scenario over the weekend. Greene County Emergency Management Director Richard Policz said emergency officials from across the region participated in a conference call with the weather service Thursday to help them gauge what they can expect from the winter storm.

“A lot of stuff is up in the air,” Policz said. “We’re a couple of days out, and things can change. We’re holding on until we have a definite idea.”

Frazier said the ridges in Fayette County could see a little more snow, while totals could be a little less in the Mon Valley due to slightly warmer temperatures.

“Even in that scenario, we’ll still see a good amount of snow that people will want to be aware of,” Frazier said. “Minor shifts could alter the expectations we have.”

Fayette County Emergency Management spokeswoman Sue Kozak-Griffith said they’re continuing to monitor the situation and will be ready to assist residents and local road crews if called upon.

“From where we sit, we have our ridges, so that will be higher. We’re still monitoring, and when we get the updates, we put them out there and play it by ear,” Kozak-Griffith said. “We’re still going to go through the same things. We’re going to assist our municipalities and still take 911 calls and send our first responders.”

She said the local communities and their road crews will be ready to go no matter what happens. 

“We’re pretty fortunate with 42 municipalities that are good about getting their boots on the ground and preparing and handling things,” she said. “But if they need anything, we’re here.”

Meanwhile, PennDOT road crews were out working Thursday to stockpile salt at various locations across the region and prepping to hit the state highways.

PennDOT spokeswoman Melissa Mazcko said they’re closely monitoring the forecast, but the department doesn’t have any concerns about tackling the snowstorm. She suggested that motorists should avoid traveling during the peak snowfall to allow time for crews to clear the roadways.

“We will have crews out before the storm, and they’re going to remain out until after the storm to ensure safe and passable roadways,” she said.

But even before the snow begins falling this weekend, the weather service is predicting bone-chilling temperatures Friday night into Saturday morning. Temperatures will drop into the single digits with windy conditions that will bring the wind chill down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit in the ridges of Fayette County.

Frazier said people should monitor the National Weather Service of Pittsburgh’s social media feeds for regular updates on the forecast as it gets closer to the snowstorm.