Pennsylvania, 2010

Heavy Snow and Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 5 to 7, 2010

December 5 to 7, 2010 · NWS CTP · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A cold and persistent northwest flow across the Eastern Great Lakes resulted in a prolonged period of heavy snow and significant accumulations in the Northwest Mountains and Laurel Highlands.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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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 CTP wrote it up.

A cold and persistent northwest flow across the Eastern Great Lakes resulted in a prolonged period of heavy snow and significant accumulations in the Northwest Mountains and Laurel Highlands.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 lake-effect snow, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, Warren

When
December 5, 7:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
41.815, -79.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A prolonged period of lake-effect snow produced significant accumulations over the Northwest Mountains from the 5th through the 7th. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches were observed by the evening of the 5th. Storm total snow accumulations over the 24 to 48 hour period ranged between 1 and 2 feet. Strong northwest winds also produced areas of blowing snow and wind chills in the single digits above and below zero.

Lake-Effect Snow, McKean

When
December 5, 7:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
McKean forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
41.808, -78.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A prolonged period of lake-effect snow produced significant accumulations over the Northwest Mountains from the 5th through the 7th. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches were observed by the evening of the 5th. Storm total snow accumulations over the 24 to 48 hour period ranged between 1 and 2 feet. Strong northwest winds also produced areas of blowing snow and wind chills in the single digits above and below zero.

Heavy Snow, Cambria

When
December 5, 7:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Cambria forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.495, -78.714 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A prolonged period of orographically (terrain) enhanced snow produced significant accumulations over the Laurel Highlands from the 5th through the 7th. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches were observed by the morning of the 6th especially on the ridge tops. Storm total snow accumulations over the 24 to 48 hour period ranged between 10 and 20 inches. Strong northwest winds gusting over 40 mph at times also produced near-blizzard conditions with areas of blowing snow and wind chills in the single digits above and below zero.

Heavy Snow, Somerset

When
December 5, 7:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Somerset forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.972, -79.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A prolonged period of orographically (terrain) enhanced snow produced significant accumulations over the Laurel Highlands from the 5th through the 7th. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches were observed by the morning of the 6th especially on the ridge tops. Storm total snow accumulations over the 24 to 48 hour period ranged between 10 and 20 inches. Strong northwest winds gusting over 40 mph at times also produced near-blizzard conditions with areas of blowing snow and wind chills in the single digits above and below zero.

What these are

Lake-Effect Snow
Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.
Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, December 2010

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: 264479, 264480, 264482, 264483.