Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, December 5 to 6, 2003

A northeaster dropped heavy snow across all of eastern Pennsylvania from the early morning of the 5th into the day on the 6th. Snow spread from south to north across the region during the first half of the day on the 5th. It decreased in intensity from the late afternoon of the 5th into the predawn hours on the 6th. During this time, the snow mixed with some sleet in and around Philadelphia. Snow increased in intensity again during the morning and early afternoon on the 6th before it ended from southwest to northeast during the afternoon. Accumulations averaged between 6 and 12 inches. Ironically the heavy snow wreaked havoc with holiday parades, festivals and tree lightning ceremonies scheduled for the 5th and 6th. Many schools dismissed early. Many after school and weekend school activities were cancelled. High school football championship games as well as other sports activities were postponed. Even some college football games were postponed. Numerous accidents were reported. Drivers skidded helplessly into curbs, medians, ditches and other vehicles especially on overpasses and hills. Power outages were caused by drivers hitting poles. Ten minute commutes were taking one hour. So many accidents were reported around Philadelphia that a traffic reporter called it a $500 deductible day. Bus routes were either cancelled or rerouted. The college entrance SAT exams on the 6th were postponed. The winter storm put a big dent in the holiday shopping on Saturday the 6th. Some stores never opened. Hospitals had a difficult time getting their employees to and from work. Libraries were closed. Many municipalities declared snow emergencies to help clear the roads for plowing. On the 5th, about 10 percent of all flights leaving or arriving from Philadelphia International Airport were cancelled. The plows had a hard time keeping back roads with northwestern exposure clear on the weekend (6th and 7th) as strong winds blew the snow back on the road. Even sports utility vehicles were getting stuck in the drifts. In Lehigh County, in Lower Macungie Township, two school children suffered minor injuries after a school bus skidded on ice while negotiating a curve. A state trooper was injured after his vehicle was struck while investigating another accident on U.S. 22 near Airport Road. In Berks County, four major roadways including U.S. Route 222 were closed. In Maxatawny Township, a teenager was critically injured and trapped in his vehicle for over one hour. In Upper Bern Township, a 78-year-old woman was critically injured after her vehicle collided with a jackknifed tractor trailer on westbound Interstate 78 on the 6th. The road was closed for two hours. In Chester County, seven people were hospitalized after a minivan crashed into a fuel truck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Upper Uwchlan Township. There were 30 accidents on the Turnpike in Chester County. In Bucks County, in Upper Makefield Township, a minivan on Pennsylvania State Route 532 struck a guardrail and hit a school bus. No one on the bus was injured, by the driver and the three-year-old in the minivan were. Emergency crews had difficulties reaching traffic accidents on Interstate 95. A plow took down a pole and caused power outages to 1100 homes and businesses in Springfield Township. Specific accumulations included 12.4 inches in Williams Township (Northampton County), 12.0 inches in Furlong (Bucks County) and Germansville (Lehigh County), 11.6 inches in West Chester (Chester County), 11.5 inches in Leesport (Berks County), 11.3 inches in Stroudsburg (Monroe County), 11.0 inches in Perkasie (Bucks County), Glenmoore (Chester County) and Wayne (Delaware County), 10.5 inches in Northeast Philadelphia, 10.2 inches in Palm (Montgomery County), 10.0 inches in Ontelaunee Township (Berks County), 9.5 inches in Morgantown (Berks County) and Blue Bell (Montgomery County), 9.0 inches in Neshaminy Falls (Bucks County) and Lehigh Valley International Airport, 8.5 inches in Tobyhanna (Monroe County), 8.4 inches in Clifton Heights (Delaware County), 8.0 inches in Kunkletown (Carbon County), 6.7 inches in Valley Forge (Chester County), 6.4 inches in Albrightsville (Carbon County) and 4.8 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport. The Northeaster was over the Gulf Coast States the morning of the 4th. It moved northeast to near Cape Hatteras the morning of the 5th, was just east of the Virginia Capes the evening of the 5th, just east of Atlantic City the morning of the 6th and near Nantucket during the evening of the 6th. The heaviest precipitation fell during two sections of this storm. The first came during the first half of the day on the 5th as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean were lifted over the region. The second came during the morning of the 6th as the upper air system supporting the northeaster moved across the region.