Season's 1st big snowfall hits Western Pa.; PennDOT reduces speed limits

The first big snowfall of the season hit Western Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning, coating the ground and roadways.

Bill Modzelewski, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon, said the snow is right on track so far — matching weather predictions.

With snow still falling, preliminary reports as of 7 a.m. Tuesday indicated 1½ inches to 3 inches of accumulation so far in Southwestern Pennsylvania, according to Modzelewski.

Speed limits have been temporarily reduced on several roadways in Southwestern Pennsylvania as a result. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced the limits just after 5 a.m. “due to the severity of the winter storm.”

PennDOT is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel, but for those who need to head out, speeds are now reduced to 45 mph on the following highways:

Interstate 79, Parkways East and West (I-376), Parkway North (I-279), Route 28, I-579 and I-70 in Washington and Westmoreland counties. The speed restrictions for I-376 extend to the Beaver Valley Expressway and in Lawrence County.

Commercial vehicles like that are not affected by speed restrictions on these or other roadways must move to the right lane, PennDOT said.

“Although PennDOT crews have been treating roadways, the department’s primary goal is to keep roads passable, and they will not completely free of ice and snow,” the announcement said. “PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear.”

The National Weather Service is still expecting total snow accumulation to be around 2 inches to 4 inches — with some area close to 5 inches — when snowfall is done, according to Modzelewski.

“We’re expecting the snowfall to … taper off close to 9 a.m.,” he said. “Most of the accumulation should be winding down here at the end of the morning commute today. … Just the timing of it it’s been an issue this morning.”

According to TribLive news partner WTAE, higher amounts of snow are possible near and north of I-80. There is a brief period of freezing rain or sleet expected that might reduce some of the snow totals near the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border.

Modzelewski said the NWS has been notified of numerous minor accidents Tuesday morning, such as cars sliding off of roadways.

Modzelewski said there could be light snow flurries into the afternoon Tuesday. Temperatures will reach into the high 30s Tuesday afternoon. “As far as the accumulations go and issues for travel, those should be starting to wind down later on this morning,” he said.

He warned of low, colder temperatures Tuesday night between 20 and 25 degrees that could cause ice on roadways. “Any melting that we get from the snow on the roads could freeze tonight for any areas that are untreated,” Modzelewski said. “That’ll be something to watch for.”

The snow is causing many schools to issue delays and closings. By 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Pittsburgh Public Schools announced it was changing its two-hour delay to a full closure for the day. For a full list of school closings and delays, click here.

Heading into the rest of the week, Modzelewski said there is a possibility for snow showers Wednesday night into Thursday morning, as well as Saturday night into Sunday morning, with the latter including rain in the mix.

“It doesn’t look like anything major at the moment,” he said. “Anything in the remainder of the week should be relatively light.”

Temperatures will remain in the 20s and 30s, according to Modzelewski, aside from Thursday night — when they could be as low as the single digits.

For motorists traveling, PennDOT advises to be careful when encountering plow trucks. Motorists should allow plenty of space for their own safety and the safety of the plow operators. If the vehicle is plowing, motorists shouldn’t attempt to pass it.

Conditions on specific roads can be found by visiting www.511PA.com, which provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and more.

511PA can also be accessed via smartphone app for iPhone and Android, by calling 5-1-1 or by following its social media account on X.

PennDOT advised people to pack a basic emergency kit for their vehicles. Items can include:

• non-perishable food
• water
• blanket
• small shovel
• warm clothes
• special items like baby food, pet supplies or medications