Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 20 to 21, 2000

A winter storm passed south of the area, producing an initial round of light snow starting just after midnight on the 20th. By midday on the 20th, accumulations of between 2 and 4 inches of snow were common across the counties as the storm passed off to the east. However, during the afternoon of the 20th, strong northwest winds developed in the wake of the storm. These winds produced several additional inches of orographically enhanced snows across the higher elevations in the extreme eastern parts of the counties. These orographically enhanced snows started in the afternoon of the 20th and continued through the afternoon of the 21st. By the time the snow tapered to flurries across the area, storm totals of 3 to 6 inches were found across the eastern parts of Jefferson and Indiana Counties. To the south, storm totals of between 4 and 8 inches were reported over the higher elevations of eastern Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, with up to a foot found over the highest ridges. These strong northwest winds also produced windchills as cold as -30 F across the entire area during the event.