Western Pennsylvania hit with biggest snowfall of season

The humming of gasoline-powered snowblowers roared in unison with the scraping of shovels across asphalt Monday as Western Pennsylvania dug out from a significant winter storm that, for snow lovers, did not disappoint.

The storm dumped between 4 and 12 inches of snow across the region, according to the National Weather Service. At times Sunday night and Monday morning, neighborhoods resembled a snow globe, thanks to the whipping winds and drifting snow.

By the time the snow began tapering off Monday afternoon, most of the region saw between 6 and 9 inches of snow. That reached 11 inches in northern Westmoreland County near the Allegheny County line and up to a foot of snow in areas between Uniontown and the West Virginia border, according to regional observation data submitted to the National Weather Service.

Some areas were spared the brunt of the storm, thanks to warmer air that filtered in, said weather service meteorologist Shannon Hefferan.

In an area from Washington to Uniontown and pushing up into southern Allegheny County, the snow mostly topped out around 5 inches, Hefferan said.

“That was probably because of the warm invection we had that changed over to freezing rain for awhile,” she said.

Using the reports that you've sent us, here's a map showing how much snow fell yesterday evening into early this afternoon.

Due to the advancing warm air yesterday, dry air, and convective snow bands, not everyone (even in the same county) experienced the same amount. pic.twitter.com/7DWWYhnE9k

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) January 17, 2022

Near whiteout conditions, along with more than 10 inches of powdered snow and 22 degree temperatures, met skiers on top of Hidden Valley Resort in Somerset County about 11 a.m. Monday.

Alex Banfield Hicks of Pittsburgh’s Morningside neighborhood headed to Hidden Valley at 7:30 a.m. Monday. He said the weather conditions caused the normal 1 hour, 30 minute ride to take more than two hours. Hicks was driving a passenger van with six eager teenagers from Church of Ascension in Oakland ready to ski on the fresh snow.

“The (Pennsylvania) Turnpike was OK, but the side streets were pretty bad where we started. We’ve been planning for this trip, so we didn’t want to miss out,” Hicks said.

Hicks quipped he was not worried about getting stuck on the roads.

“If I get stuck somewhere … at least I have six teenagers ready to push me out,” Hicks said.

In Plum’s Holiday Park neighborhood, John Kudranski and Cliff Pariso were on their own, shoveling and snowblowing their driveways as other neighbors cleared off their cars and tried to get out of the driveway before the borough snowplow undid their work.

Just up the hill, Ava Gribbin, 6, of Plum was out in her yard Monday afternoon playing in the winter weather with her German shepherd, Conway — who she’d forgiven for knocking out her front baby tooth recently.

“He was going for his toy, and he missed,” she said, climbing onto her tree swing. She called out to her mother, the frozen swing ropes a reminder: “Mom, I need gloves!”

In the Alle-Kiski Valley, Lower Burrell’s public works department hit the roads starting at 5:30 p.m. Sunday with six trucks working throughout the night, public works Director Todd Giammatteo said. By 2:30 p.m. Monday, 52 miles of city roads and 26 miles of state routes were clear and wet.

The department used about 300 tons of road salt, which Giammatteo said was typical for a snow storm.

“Everything went really well,” he said. “With the storm falling on a holiday, we were blessed with good luck. Vehicle traffic was at a minimum.”

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The city received some complaints about the large amount of snow plowed into “snow berms” along roads. “There was such a large amount of snow, it was unavoidable in order to clear the roads,” Giammatteo said.

In Tarentum, crews focused on the main roads before clearing alleys, council President Scott Dadowski said.

“We’ve had all our guys out since last night,” Dadowski said. “They are always putting in the hours that they need to put in. Whether it’s overtime or not, our guys are willing to do it.”

Dadowski said it was fortunate that Monday was a holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, resulting in fewer vehicles out on the roads.

“It gives the guys an opportunity to go out there and clean it up,” he said.

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Arnold had minor issues with its plow equipment, Councilman Adam Zweig said. “The stuff hasn’t been used since last year,” he said. “Our guys were out all night doing some plowing. It’s a lot of snow to move.”

In Armstrong County, Gilpin’s three road crew members were exhausted after being out from 8 p.m. to midnight Sunday, then back out again at 5 a.m Monday for the morning commute, Supervisor Charlie Stull said.

“The biggest challenge they are facing is the never-ending snow drifts from the high winds that have come along with the storm,” Stull said.

Garbage and recycling collection was delayed a day in several communities.

The Hempfield Township Athletic Complex was closed Monday because of the storm. The facility will reopen Tuesday at 8 a.m.

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Hefferan said most of the region could expect a few light snow showers Monday evening.

“The Laurel Ridges in Westmoreland County, though, could see an additional 1 to 3 inches over what we got today,” Hefferan said.

Hefferan said there will be a gradual warmup as the week progresses, with Wednesday the next time the region could see precipitation. Wednesday’s high is expected to be just above 40 degrees, before cooling back off with a high of 23 degrees Thursday.

Staff writers Megan Tomasic, Patrick Varine, Brian Rittmeyer and Tanisha Thomas contributed.