Blizzard warning issued for Lehigh Valley as Weather Service forecasts up to 30 inches of snow

Jan. 23--The National Weather Service has upgraded the winter storm with a blizzard warning for the Lehigh Valley and snowfall totals of up to 30 inches.

More than 9 inches of snow were on the ground in Allentown at 8 a.m. Saturday and much more was expected as the brunt of the storm shifted to the Lehigh Valley.

"The storm track has been pretty consistent and what happened in this case is that we're seeing the heavier snow bands, which are harder to pin down, now shifting slightly north over the Lehigh Valley," said National Weather Service metrologist Lance Franck.

Those heavier snow bands, he said, could bring as much as 1-to-3 inches of snow an hour at times. Most of the East Coast was contending this weekend with the storm, which was blamed for 10 deaths in the South.

With 9.4 inches of snow recorded at Lehigh Valley International Airport at 8 a.m. Saturday, the latest Weather Service forecast calls for 22-to-30 in the Lehigh Valley and 10-to-20 inches in the Slate Belt and Poconos. In the Harrisburg area, the snow was 26 inches deep around noon. In Delaware County, it was 10.5 inches at that time. And in Pen Argyl, it was about 7.5 inches.

The record for snow in a single event in the Lehigh Valley is 25.9 inches, set during the historic blizzard of 1996.

The Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the Lehigh Valley and Poconos at 9:54 a.m. Saturday. On Friday, blizzard warnings were issued for Philadelphia, where 2 feet of snow was expected, along with wind gusts to 50 mph.

Jim Bunker, observing program leader with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., noted that sustained winds of 35 mph for three hours are necessary for the Weather Service to declare a blizzard, along with visibility of a quarter of a mile.

Stiff winds and deep, unshoveled snow didn't keep Lewis Ecker and Nehemias Nunez from walking from their home to the nearby Starbucks in downtown Allentown Saturday morning.

"I never do my own cooking, so food will always drag me out," Ecker said.

At the 7-Eleven on North Seventh St. in Allentown, Luis Quiles, of Allentown, was with his 4-year-old son, Isaiah, getting coffee. After that, he planned to get groceries.

"I have a 4x4, so we just wanted to experience this," Quiles said. "We are thinking about going tubing at Blue Mountain later."

That could be a problem. High winds and drifting snow prevented the resort in Lower Towamensing Township from opening its tubing trails Saturday, said Tricia Matsko, Blue Mountain's sales and marketing director. However, 37 of 39 ski trails were open and many skiiers were taking advantage of them.

"The diehards are out there," Matsko said. "This definitely puts our season in full swing."

The blanket of snow couldn't have come at a better time for ski resorts. With nearly all of December and some of January wiped out by unseasonably mild temperatures, the resorts welcomed the snowstorm.

"This is going to give us some long-term insurance for the winter," said Susan Smoll, director of the snow sports school at Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Conference Center in Longswamp Township, where many snow enthusiasts flocked Saturday. .

Some area roads and sidewalks looked like ski slopes Saturday, as blowing snow make it hard to keep paths clear. The howling wind made driving hazardous too, producing white-out conditions at times.

A portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed in Western Pennsylvania to enable state police and the National Guard to assist motorists stranded on the roadway since late Friday. Jack-knifed trucks on a mountain approaching the Allegheny Tunnel snarled travel between Exits 110 and 146.

"The safety of Pennsylvanians is my top priority, as many areas across Pennsylvania have been hit hard by this storm, which features heavy snow falling at a fast rate," Gov. Tom Wolf said. "First responders from multiple state, county and local agencies are working together to address issues and ensure people are safe."

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski announced on social media that city parking decks would be free until 7 a.m. Monday so that people could get their vehicles off the streets where the plows are coming through.

Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez made a similar announcement Friday, noting the vehicles must be removed when the city lifts its snow emergency declaration.

Meanwhile, the homeless found warmth and a hot breakfast at Zion's "Liberty Bell" Church in downtown Allentown Saturday morning. More then 50 people, some homeless and others who just needed a meal, made their way to the church Saturday morning, where congregants and volunteers from other area churches were there to serve breakfast.

The Rev. Robert T. Stevens said the church's Fellowship Hall would remain open all of Saturday for anyone needing shelter.

"We'll provide coffee, and maybe peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and some soup later in the day," he said in a news release.

The wind made the streets a difficult place to be as walking was difficult against strong gusts. High winds were expected most of Saturday in the Lehigh Valley, threatening to bring drifts of up to 6 feet, the Weather Service warned, and power outages. At 10 a.m. Saturday, PPL was trying to restore power to more than 1,000 customers in Northampton Borough and was dealing with other smaller outages in the region. Much of that power had been restored before noon, according to the PPL website.

Northampton Borough Councilman Tony Lopsonzski, said some of those outages happened in the borough's third ward. He urged people to be patient as utility workers and road crews worked and, if possible, to stay off the road.

"The best thing to do is stay home and watch the snow," he said.

Saturday's forecast called for the storm to linger until about 11 p.m. Snow showers could pop up overnight before the storm ends Sunday afternoon, Bunker said.

With travel on Sunday likely difficult, the Allentown Diocese and Archdiocese of Philadelphia have lifted the obligation for Catholics to attend Mass.

Along the coast, it wasn't snow but surf that communities were contending with.

From Delaware to Long Island, coastal flooding and beach erosion from high surf were worries. The Weather Service said Saturday that New Jersey was experiencing moderate coastal flooding, and that some areas were at risk of major flooding.

Tens of thousands were without power along the New Jersey coast.

Winter may have struggled to materialize in December and early January, but we knew a wallop awaited as we holiday-shopped in shorts and flip-flops. This weekend, it came -- with a vengeance.

The season's first major storm made its way across the south before coming up the East Coast Friday, crippling a large swath of the country. Washington, D.C., had 13 inches while the snow was still falling Saturday, Arkansas and Tennessee got 8 inches; Kentucky got more than a foot, and two tornadoes arrived with the snow in Mississippi. The Deep South grappled with power outages, icy roads and accidents.

At least nine people were killed in storm-related car crashes, including a 59-year-old man whose vehicle collided with a salt truck in Kentucky, and a 4-year-old boy who was riding in a pickup truck that spun out of control on I-77 in North Carolina.

In Kentucky, motorists were stranded along Interstate 75 south of Lexington early Saturday, and state police said on Twitter that its crews, emergency workers and the National Guard were making their way to cars with water, fuel, and snacks, and attempting to move cars one at a time

The storm could easily cause more than $1 billion in damage, Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said.

In a rare move, the U.S. Postal Service canceled mail delivery throughout the Lehigh Valley and in other parts of Pennsylvania. (Service was suspended in ZIP codes starting with these numbers: 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 195, and 196.) Post offices also were closed Saturday.

PennDOT's District 5 reduced speeds to 45 mph on Interstates 78, 80, 81, 176 and 380, as well as Routes 22, 33, 209, 222, 309 and 422 Saturday. And it banned tractor-trailers, recreational vehicles, motorcycles and other trucks from I-78, I-81 and I-176.

"The department's primary goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow," the department noted in a news release Saturday. "PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear."

The Pennsylvania Turnpike has banned truck and trailer traffic Saturday.

Motorists can find out more about state road conditions at 511PA.com and paturnpike.com.

Along with traffic tie-ups, the storm has interrupted air travel. Lehigh Valley International Airport closed at about 5 a.m. and expected to remain closed at least until Saturday night, according to an airport dispatcher.

Overall, airlines canceled about 13 percent of their scheduled flights in the U.S. for Friday and Saturday, the Associated Press reported. Most major airlines have issued waivers, allowing passengers to rebook.

Trans-Bridge Lines canceled bus service Saturday, saying service would resume Sunday.

Most businesses kept their doors shut Saturday, which made the few that were open popular among those who were stranded or just wanted to get outside. Starbucks in downtown Allentown was filled with patrons late Saturday morning. Among them, was Andrew Mikolaichik, of Scranton, who sipped coffee with friends. He originally planned to arrive in Allentown Saturday night for the AMSOIL Arenacross event at PPL Center, but checked into the Holiday Inn downtown on Friday to avoid the worst of the weather.

"I'm hoping by the time I check out tomorrow, it will be a lot better," he said.

Ryan Kneller and Nicole Radzievich

Morning Call reporter Steve Esack and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

SNOW COUNTS

Measurements are unofficial and were recorded around noon Saturday. The official measurement at Lehigh Valley International Airport was at 7 a.m.

7.5 inches: Pen Argyl

12.4 inches: Martins Creek

14.5 inches: Quakertown

9 inches: Upper Milford Township

9.4 inches: LVIA

10.5 inches: Lansdowne, Delaware County

12.5 inches: Wescosville

20 inches: South Allentown

26 inches: Hampden Township, Cumberland County

Source: National Weather Service and observers

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