Winter storm brings frigid temps, high winds, snow to Western Pennsylvania

The major winter storm that moved through Western Pennsylvania on Friday, dropping temperature some 40 degrees, will keep the region in a deep freeze on Christmas Eve and on Christmas, the National Weather Service in Moon said.

People are likely to wake up Christmas Eve morning to temperatures in the single digits. A high-wind warning is in effect through 7 a.m. Saturday for higher elevations of Westmoreland and Fayette counties, the National Weather Service service said.

With wind gusts of almost 40 mph expected, it will feel like minus 25 degrees-to-minus 30 degrees during the day, said David Shallenberger, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Temperatures for Saturday night’s Pittsburgh Steeler-Las Vegas Raiders game will hover around 8 degrees, with winds lessening, Shallenberger said.

On Christmas Day, temperatures are expected to rise to a high of 18 to 19 degrees, with the wind gusts subsiding to 10 mph, with gusts of 20 mph, Shallenberger said.

Western Pennsylvanians felt the effects of the storm on Friday, when early morning temperatures that reached 40 degrees before sunrise, dropped to minus-5 degrees, with a wind-chill factor around 25 degrees below zero. Although the 45-degree temperature drop wasn’t the largest single-day temperature decline, it was significant. The largest single-day temperature drop — 57 degrees — came on Jan. 6, 2014.

Wind chills reported to the NWS shortly after 8:30 a.m. included 20 degrees below zero at the Washington County Airport, 13 degrees below at the Allegheny County Airport and 9 degrees below at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity. Wind gusts at the airports were all above 50 mph.

We're -5 degrees Fahrenheit here at the office just outside of Pittsburgh in Moon Township, PA. That seems to be on par with the rest of the Upper Ohio Valley and Allegheny Mountains. At this point, we don't anticipate temperatures falling much (if any) from what they are now. pic.twitter.com/4CI5ATC4Vs

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 23, 2022

About 1 to 1.5 inches of snow has fallen over most of the area, with higher accumulations seen around the Interstate 80 corridor and the ridges east of Pittsburgh. There was little accumulation in the late afternoon and early evening, Shallenberger said.

In Somerset County, accumulations ranged from 4 inches in Somerset to about 8 inches in Ogletown, about 36 miles northeast of Somerset. Snowfall in Northwestern Pennsylvania blanketed Edinboro with two inches of snow and more than three inches in 3 inches in Meadville.

The weather service anticipated wind gusts ranging from 40 to 55 mph, with gusts possibly exceeding 60 mph in the ridges.

Anyone who finds themselves without heat, warmth or shelter this weekend can get help and a safe place to stay at warming stations in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.

Here is another great illustration of the plummeting temperatures this morning behind the front at Chatham University. pic.twitter.com/OaFAHcURvI

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 23, 2022

Road conditions

Public Works Director Stephen Shanley said Allegheny County deployed 33 trucks Friday morning and that all county-owned roads and bridges had been salted at least twice by 11 a.m. He said additional drivers will be added, if needed.

“It takes our salt truck drivers about one to two hours to complete their routes and another hour to return to the nearest garage and reload with salt,” Shanley said. “So, some spots on our roadways — especially on bridges, ramps and overpasses — might refreeze before they are salted again. If a motorist encounters ice, they should lift their foot off the gas, avoid braking and, if possible, steer toward a safe area with traction.”

People can report snow or ice issues on an Allegheny County-maintained road by calling 412-350-4636 between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays or 911 at other times. Visit alleghenycounty.us/whoplowsmyroad to determine what entity is responsible for maintaining a given road in the county.

Air travel disruptions

The winter storm interrupted passengers’ travel plan at numerous airline hubs across the country, including Pittsburgh International Airport.

Of the 275 flights scheduled to arrive and depart at the Pittsburgh airport, 70 were cancelled and 76 were delayed, said Bob Kerlik, a spokesman for the Allegheny County Airport Authority.

At Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity, a single Spirit Airlines flight was scheduled to arrive Friday afternoon from Orlando, Fla., followed by an evening flight departing for the destination.

Power outages

There were reports of downed trees affecting roads and power lines throughout the area.

Duquesne Light Co. said Friday night that about 1,320 customers remained without service as of 9 p.m. and expect to have power back to all of the customers by 9 p.m. Christmas Eve. Many customers may be restored sooner, however, shifts in wind speed and frigid temperatures may delay restoration, the utility company said.

“Extreme temperatures, strong winds and upcoming holidays add an additional layer of difficulty,” said Pittsburgh-based Duquesne Light.

West Penn Power had about 460 customers without power in Westmoreland County and about 180 in Allegheny County, as of 9 p.m. Friday.

. The hardest-hit Westmoreland communities at mid-day included Murrysville, with nearly 600 outages, and Hempfield, with more than 200.

West Penn Power is expecting trees brought down by the storm to be the cause of most outages, said Todd Meyers, spokesman for the Greensburg-based utility.

“This storm is unusual with its combination of high winds and brutally chilly temperatures, both of which could hamper our efforts to restore power,” Meyers said. “The wet roadways are flash freezing and make travel to areas of damage treacherous for our line crews.

“Line workers also can not go up in bucket trucks to make repairs while wind speeds are around 40 mph and above. They will also need to take frequent breaks in the truck to warm up to avoid frostbite and hypothermia from exposure,” Meyers said,

West Penn crews are being assisted by outside line contractors and tree-trimming crews where necessary, Meyers said.

Because of the storm, more than 100 schools and public sites in the region were closed or planned for delayed openings Friday, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV.