Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, November 25 to 26, 2000

Some light freezing rain fell across Carbon and Monroe Counties during the evening of the 25th and the pre-dawn hours on the 26th. While the precipitation was light (water equivalents one-tenth of an inch or less), untreated roadways became extremely hazardous. Numerous traffic accidents occurred, including one fatality, mainly in the higher terrain in northwestern Monroe County. The fatal crash occurred on eastbound Interstate 80 in Tunkhannock Township when the driver lost control of his van. The van went onto a grass median, down an embankment, struck a tree, rotated counterclockwise and rolled onto its roof. The 45-year-old driver died and his 16-year-old son was injured. A second accident on Eastbound Interstate 80 occurred in Tobyhanna Township. A vehicle struck a tree. The passenger and driver were standing by their vehicle when they were struck and seriously injured by another vehicle that lost control and rolled off the road. Another multi-vehicular accident occurred on Interstate 380 west in Tunkhannock Township when a tour bus struck a limousine and two pick-up trucks. Ten persons in the limousine and two persons in the pick-up truck were injured. In all 32 traffic accidents alone occurred during a two hour period between Interstate 80 and Interstate 380 during the evening of the 25th. An unseasonably cold air mass was over the region prior to the onset of precipitation. Low temperatures dropped as low as the single numbers for three successive mornings (the 23rd through the 25th) in the Poconos. As the light rain moved in, temperatures were still around the freezing mark. Fortunately the high pressure system at the center of the cold air mass moved offshore instead of anchoring itself over New England. This permitted warmer air to move in near the surface before the heavier rain began on the 26th.