Winter Weather, Berks
- When
- January 16, 2:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Berks forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.416, -75.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 16, 1997
A large high pressure system brought a cold and dry air mass into Eastern Pennsylvania. As the high drifted off the Middle Atlantic Coast, a slow moving cold front tapped the moisture in the Gulf of Mexico and dropped heavy precipitation across the area.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.
A large high pressure system brought a cold and dry air mass into Eastern Pennsylvania. As the high drifted off the Middle Atlantic Coast, a slow moving cold front tapped the moisture in the Gulf of Mexico and dropped heavy precipitation across the area. Since the air mass was so dry and cold to start, temperatures dropped below the freezing mark as the rain began during the early morning hours of the 16th. Since winds were blowing strongly from the southeast, warmer air took temperatures above the freezing mark in all areas by the end of the morning commute. But there were some locally slippery spots during the predawn hours in Berks County and northwestern sections of Chester, Montgomery and Bucks Counties. The rain ended by noon on the 16th.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Weather, Bucks
- When
- January 16, 3:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Bucks forecast zone
Winter Weather, Chester
- When
- January 16, 3:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Chester forecast zone
Winter Weather, Montgomery
- When
- January 16, 3:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Montgomery forecast zone
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Ice Storm in Washington, January 16 to 17, 1997
- Strong Wind in New York, January 16, 1997
- Cold in West Virginia, January 16 to 20, 1997
- Winter Weather in Ohio, January 16 to 17, 1997
- Damaging Wind in North Carolina, January 16, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 16 to 18, 1997
- Tornado in Florida, January 16, 1997
- Winter Weather in Vermont, January 16, 1997
- Cold in Ohio, January 16 to 20, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 16 to 19, 1997
- Cold in Wisconsin, January 16, 1997
- Blizzard in Wisconsin, January 16, 1997
More
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, January 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5596467, 5596468, 5596469, 5596470.