The first winter storm of the season dropped more snow than expected on parts of the Lehigh Valley, possibly making it the biggest snowfall in nearly two years.
A heavy burst of snow moved over the region for several hours Saturday evening, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a winter storm warning, and pushing the region toward the high end of the projected snowfall range.
The heaviest snow moved into the Lehigh Valley and southern Poconos around 5:30 p.m., according to the weather service’s Mount Holly, N.J., office. Snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour were reported, with some isolated areas seeing as much as 2 inches per hour.
The highest accumulations were reported in the higher elevations of the Valley, to the north and west, according to the weather service. As of 8 p.m., a trained weather service spotter reported 7.5 inches of snow had fallen in New Tripoli.
Officially, 5.3 inches of snow had fallen at Lehigh Valley International Airport as of midnight, according to the weather service. Most of the region had been expected to get anywhere between 3 and 6 inches.
North of the Valley, Carbon and Monroe Counties saw even higher snowfall amounts. 9.1 inches was reported by a weather service spotter in Lehighton as of 9:15 p.m. The Poconos region had been forecast to get between 8 and 12 inches of snow.
The heaviest snow ended around 8 p.m. for most of the region, with the precipitation turning to sleet and rain in some areas. Some precipitation was expected to linger before tapering off Sunday morning.
Some freezing rain was also possible, and black ice could develop as temperatures drop back to around freezing, the weather service warned. Motorists should continue to use caution while driving Sunday morning.
Treacherous road conditions
Road conditions quickly deteriorated Saturday afternoon as soon as the snow started to fall around 1 p.m. As snow began sticking to area roadways, crashes and stuck vehicles were reported in both Lehigh and Northampton counties.
As conditions worsened Saturday evening, the roads became downright treacherous. It wasn’t just cars running into trouble. Two LANTA buses were stuck in the snow — one on MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township and another on Susquehanna Street in Salisbury Township. On MacArthur Road, multiple other vehicles were stuck in the road.
Elsewhere, Freemansburg Avenue was closed between Wagner Drive and Farmersville Road in Bethlehem Township around 10 p.m. due to downed trees and wires. In Greenwich Township, Berks County, a disabled vehicle closed Route 737 near Kohlers Hill Road.
Earlier, Palmer Township police said about 5:30 p.m. that while public works crews were actively working on the township’s roads, PennDOT-designated roads were difficult to maneuver. Route 248 at Park Avenue was closed temporarily.
PennDOT reduced the speed limit to 45 mph on Route 22, Route 33 and Interstate 78 during the worst of the snow. It also prohibited some tractor-trailers, buses, RVs and motorcycles on the region’s major highways. Those restrictions were lifted by midnight.
Motorists were strongly urged not to travel at all.
Snow emergencies issued
In the Lehigh Valley, several municipalities declared snow emergencies. Those included:
- Bethlehem Township: In effect until noon Sunday. Residents are asked to remove their vehicles from snow emergency routes and cul-de-sacs.
- Hellertown: In effect until further notice. Residents are asked to remove vehicles from snow emergency routes.
- Pen Argyl: In effect until further notice. Residents are asked to remove vehicles from snow emergency routes.
- Alburtis: In effect starting at 5 p.m. Residents are asked to remove vehicles from snow emergency routes. Extra parking is available at the lower end of the Alburtis Area Community Center.
Ski resorts happy
Saturday’s storm is the first measurable snowfall after a relatively snowless winter last year. Last winter was one of the least snowy in recent years, with just 6.3 inches of snowfall between December 2022 and March.
After last year’s mild winter, officials at nearby ski resorts were welcoming the snow Saturday.
Gary Kline, marketing director for Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Berks County, said rain caused the resort to close after just a few days late last month. Those days were just for season pass holders and hotel guests.
Staff at the resort have been making snow for the past few days, and the snow Saturday should help as well. The resort will be open to everyone for skiing again Sunday.
“Finally things kind of lined up for us, and we’re really excited for tomorrow,” Kline said.
Season pass owners can get there as early as 8:30 a.m., and everyone else can enter starting at 9 a.m.
Camelback Resort in the Poconos has plow trucks ready to clear the parking lot and snow groomers to handle the snow, according to Molly Coneybeer, the resort’s marketing director.
“We’re just excited,” she said. “This is finally starting to feel like winter in the Poconos.”
The resort, which opened Dec. 15, has been making a lot of snow and did not have to close because of the rain, Coneybeer said. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Season pass owners can get there as early as 7:30 a.m.
There should be some more flurries there throughout the week.
“Really the next couple of weeks should be absolutely incredible for conditions,” Coneybeer said.
Forecast
Outside of some precipitation in the morning, Sunday should be clear by the afternoon.
The weather service believes another storm that could bring heavy rain could come to the area Tuesday. On Saturday, forecasters said that storm could bring 2 to 3 inches of rain to the area.
Here is the extended forecast from the National Weather Service:
Sunday: Rain and snow likely before noon, then a chance of rain between noon and 1pm. Patchy fog before 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 39. West wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. West wind around 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 40. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A slight chance of snow before 10am, then rain. High near 44. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 44. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Wednesday: Rain likely before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Breezy.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
