Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, February 14, 1997

A high pressure system brought in a relatively cold and dry air mass into the Northeast on the 12th and 13th. Then a low pressure system travelled along the Eastern Seaboard and dropped snow and freezing rain during the first half of the day on the 14th. Accumulations averaged 3 to 5 inches followed by about a quarter of an inch of ice. Driving on untreated roadways was very hazardous. Snow began in all areas a little after midnight on the 14th. The snow changed over to freezing rain in the Lehigh Valley around sunrise and during the morning of the 14th in the Poconos. Precipitation briefly changed to light rain and drizzle as it came to an end in the Lehigh Valley around noon. Precipitation ended mainly as freezing rain in the Poconos. About a quarter of an inch of ice accrued on top of the snow, especially in the Lehigh Valley where precipitation fell as freezing rain longer. Snowfall totals included 5 inches in Mount Pocono, 4.4 inches in Saylorsburg, 3.1 inches in Jundale, 3 inches in Lehighton and Long Pond and 2.7 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport.The low pressure system responsible for the winter storm developed over northern Mexico on the 12th. It moved along southern parts of the Gulf Coast States on the 13th before moving quickly up the Eastern Seaboard the night of the 13th through the night of the 14th. The low went from Savannah, Georgia at 7 p.m EST on the 13th to Portland, Maine at 7 p.m. EST on the 14th. The fast movement kept precipitation totals down. Conversely since it was a relatively weak low pressure system, the winds were light and this kept cold air trapped in the valleys. While it became warm enough above the ground for precipitation to fall as rain, cold air trapped at the ground forced it to fall as freezing rain where it counts, at the ground.