Another winter storm is on the way. See school delays, road restrictions and more
Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted an early spring, but a storm headed for central Pennsylvania is sending a different message about winter.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Centre County that takes effect at midnight Monday and lasts through 11 a.m. Tuesday. With possible 1-2 inch per hour snowfall rates, the storm is expected to impact the morning commute.
Check below for updates on snow emergencies, road restrictions and more.
Delays & cancellations
Penn State announced that classes, activities and work at the University Park campus will be canceled until 10 a.m. Tuesday.
State College, Bellefonte and Bald Eagle area school districts will have a two-hour delay Tuesday. Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District has a Flexible Instruction Day.
Centre County Government’s Willowbank Building will open at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
The Schlow Centre Region Library will open at noon Tuesday.
Residents in Benner, College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton townships who have Waste Management as their hauler have trash and recycling pick up canceled for Tuesday. All routes will be delayed one day this week. State College Borough residents will have Tuesday trash and recycling collected on Friday. Fred Carson Disposal Service Tuesday routes will be collected on Wednesday this week. Visit Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority’s Facebook page for updates.
All court offices will be closed. Proceedings scheduled for Tuesday will be rescheduled, Centre County Court Administrator Kendra Miknis wrote in an email.
Mount Nittany Health announced that locations including all Mount Nittany Physician Group practices and the Cancer Care Partnership will open at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Mount Nittany Health Surgical Center and the medical center will open as regularly scheduled. For a full list of changes to hours, visit the health system’s website.
Road restrictions
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will have several vehicle restrictions in place beginning at 3 a.m. Tuesday, including a few in the Centre County area. Tier 2 restrictions will be effect for the entire length of Interstate 99, PennDOT announced in a press release, as well as Interstate 80 from I-79 to milepost 173 (Lamar).
Under Tier 2 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways:
Tractors without trailers.
Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers.
Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers.
Tractors towing loaded tandem trailers without chains or Alternate Traction Devices (ATDs).
Enclosed unloaded or lightly loaded cargo delivery trucks/box trucks that meet the definition of a CMV.
Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers.
Recreational vehicles/motorhomes.
School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches, regardless of the availability of trains or ATDs.
Motorcycles.
PennDOT and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission are advising motorists to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm.
“PennDOT and PTC crews are actively pre-treating roadways where necessary ahead of the storm to help prevent ice from forming a bond with the pavement during the early stages of a storm. However, salt does not resolve all risks, and drivers may encounter icy spots on the roadway. With freezing temperatures, roads that look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form,” the agencies wrote in a release.
Snow Emergencies
Patton Township will implement a snow emergency beginning 11 p.m. Monday. During snow emergencies, the township requires all vehicles to be removed from township streets until the emergency has ended. Additionally, all residents and property owners must clear their sidewalks within 24 hours after the snow has stopped.
A snow emergency in Harris Township will begin at 9 p.m. Monday. All vehicles must be removed from all municipal streets; vehicles may be reparked after the snow stops and/or the roads are clear, according to the township.
Central Pennsylvania’s snow forecast
A winter storm warning is in effect for Centre County and most of central Pennsylvania between midnight and 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Snowfall rates could potentially exceed an inch per hour during the early morning on Tuesday, the NWS reports. Wind gusts north of 20 mph Monday night heading into Tuesday might make expected temperatures in the 30s and low 20s at night feel even colder.
According to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines, the exact timing of the transition from rain to snow will greatly impact the possibility of a high snowfall total.
“The potential is certainly there, but it’s going to depend a lot on what the temperature is. A degree or two can make a huge difference,” said Kines. “If the changeover occurs an hour or two earlier than we think, we’ll probably get more snow, while the opposite could provide smaller snow amounts. I think, for 8 or more inches to happen, there can’t be much rain involved. If you’re outside at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning and it’s snowing, there’s a problem — as far as snow amounts are concerned.”
In a follow-up phone call around 3:30 p.m. Monday, Kines said recent developments in the incoming storm are leading the AccuWeather team to expect less snowfall than anticipated.
“It looks like the heaviest precipitation might stay to our south,” Kines said. “For now, we’re leaning more toward 4 [inches of snow] than 8.”
At about 7:30 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service State College’s latest forecast update showed the State College area getting about 3 inches of snow.
Snow mixed with rain early on, will cross into Pa after Midnight. Expect 2-3 inches of snowfall by commute time Tuesday morning. While there is still uncertainty in where snow accumulation will be heaviest, several more inches possible after 7 AM across the Poconos and southeast. pic.twitter.com/AsEK6lWIra
— NWS State College (@NWSStateCollege) February 13, 2024
Checking traffic cameras across Pennsylvania
Need to preview road conditions before heading out in a winter storm? You can take a look by browsing a large network of traffic cameras and live video feeds through 511PA, which manages travel information and traffic alerts for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
You can find cameras at key intersections and highways across Pennsylvania by visiting 511pa.com/cameralisting.aspx. Options are available for major cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, plus State College, Harrisburg, Altoona and even Scranton and the Pocono Mountains.
More locally, traffic cameras and live video feeds are offered for the following routes near State College and Centre County:
Atherton Street
Interstate 180
Interstate 80
Interstate 99
Pennsylvania Route 150
Pennsylvania Route 147
Pennsylvania Route 3014
Pennsylvania Route 45
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 219
U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 255
U.S. Route 322
You should be able to use these cameras and video feeds to briefly examine traffic levels, road conditions and visibility, among other qualities. These feeds, generally labeled by intersection, include multiple vantage points and usually offer streaming video.
