Pennsylvania, 2008

Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 10, 2008

February 10, 2008 · NWS BGM · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An intense snow squall with 50 mph wind gusts moved east across Northeast Pennsylvania during the afternoon. The snow quickly caused roads to become slick and dramatically reduced visibilities.

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

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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
35
Property damage
$100,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 BGM wrote it up.

An intense snow squall with 50 mph wind gusts moved east across Northeast Pennsylvania during the afternoon. The snow quickly caused roads to become slick and dramatically reduced visibilities. A 68 vehicle pileup occurred on Interstate 81 Northbound near mile-marker 140 between the McAdoo and Hazle Township exits. Dozens of people were injured with one death.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Binghamton, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 9, 6:17 PM EST, 20 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 9, 6:17 PM EST, 20 hours 13 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 9, 3:55 PM EST, 22 hours 35 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Luzerne

When
February 10, 2:30 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Luzerne forecast zone
Deaths
0 direct, 1 indirect
Injuries
0 direct, 35 indirect
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
41.177, -75.989 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 68 vehicle pile up occurred during a blinding snow squall. Dozens of people were injured and one woman died when her car became wedged underneath a tractor trailer.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Winter Weather, Luzerne2008-02-10FemaleVehicle/Towed TrailerIndirect

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

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 2008

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: 84624.