An intense coastal low pressure system brought heavy snow and strong winds to the north central mountains, Laurel Highlands and portions of the middle Susquehanna valley. Frequent wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph were common, resulting in near-blizzard conditions at times.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS CTP wrote it up.
An intense coastal low pressure system brought heavy snow and strong winds to the north central mountains, Laurel Highlands and portions of the middle Susquehanna valley. Frequent wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph were common, resulting in near-blizzard conditions at times. These conditions closed a portion of Route 22 at the Cresson Summit in Cambria county, as well as multiple sections of the Turnpike. The strong winds also produced sporadic tree damage. Wind-driven storm total snow accumulation generally ranged between 6 and 12 inches. Locally higher amounts were reported on the ridge-tops of the Laurel Highlands and the mountains northeast of Williamsport into the Poconos.
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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 25, 3:47 AM EST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 347 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING ALONG THE CAROLINA COAST EARLY THIS MORNING WILL GATHER STRENGTH AS IT MOVES NORTH AND MERGES WITH A DEEP STORM IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE...HEADED EAST FROM THE OHIO VALLEY. THIS WILL CAUSE THE COASTAL LOW TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY BEFORE BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL LIKELY PRODUCE HEAVY SNOW ACROSS THE EASTERN PART OF PENNSYLVANIA...AND THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SEVERAL INCHES OF WIND-SWEPT SNOW WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH- CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AS MOISTURE IS WRAPPED WESTWARD AROUND THE INTENSE LOW. AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF BLUSTERY NORTHWEST FLOW WILL OCCUR TO THE WEST OF THE LOW CENTER FRIDAY...AND WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... MAIN CHANGES SINCE EARLIER UPDATE TO HEADLINE CONFIGS WAS TO RETOOL QPF AND SNOW AMOUNTS...DECREASING EVER SO SLIGHTLY ALONG THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE HEAVY SNOW AREA BORDERING US TO THE NORTHEAST. EARLIER THIS MORNING...UPGRADED 1ST PERIOD WINTER STORM WATCH TO WARNINGS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER...AND DOWNGRADED TO ADVISORIES FOR PORTIONS OF THE RIDGE AND VALLEY REGION TO THE LOWER SUSQ. RIVER VALLEY. ALSO AT THAT TIME...EXPANDED EXISTING ADVISORIES FROM THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN REGION SOUTHWARD TO INCLUDE SOUTHERN CENTRE AND SOUTHERN CLINTON. HIGH WIND WATCH FOR STRONGLY CHANNELED AND DOWNSLOPING NORTHWEST FLOW TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EAST OF THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS TO THE LOWER SUSQ. RIVER VALLEY. DEEPENING UPPER LOW HEADED EAST FROM THE OHIO VALLEY IS CREATING AN EXPANDING AREA OF LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE WRN MTNS THIS MORNING... WHILE THE APPROX NE/SW AXIS OF PRECIP ALONG AND JUST INLAND FROM THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TAKES ON A MORE NORTH/SOUTH ORIENTATION THIS MORNING. MAIN FORCING FOR PRECIPITATION...HOWEVER...WON'T COME UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. DAYTIME SNOW ACCUMS WILL GENERALLY BE LIGHT...WITH A COATING TO AN INCH OR TWO IN MOST SPOTS FROM THE NORTHERN TIER SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE MID SUSQ. RIVER VALLEY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HEAVIEST SNOWFALL STILL TARGETS THE LAURELS (OROGRAPHIC UPSLOPE)... AND EASTERN MTNS OF PA. ULTIMATE SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DEPEND ON SETUP OF DEFORMATION BANDS IN THE COLD CONVEYOR BELT LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. OVERALL...CENTRAL PA WILL BE SPARED THE HEAVIEST SNOW FROM THIS SYSTEM...BUT MANY WILL SEE A MODERATE SNOWFALL FROM THIS REMARKABLE SYSTEM. A VERY SHARP SNOWFALL GRADIENT IS LIKELY BETWEEN THE SUSQ MAIN-STEM AND WRN POCONOS...BASED ON INDIVIDUAL MODEL/SREF CONSENSUS STORM TRACK...AND TOTAL QPF. AS NOTED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS...THE WIND WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS EVENT...AS GUSTS BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY /MAINLY OVER THE SW HALF OF THE STATE/...WHICH MAY PRODUCE NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY SEEN MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF EXTREME WINTER CONDITIONS THIS MONTH. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE LOCATION OF THE DEFORMATION SNOW BANDING...WHICH MODELS ARE SUGGESTING WILL LIE FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST FROM THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN REGION INTO THE ENDLESS MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST PA. ACROSS THE CENTRAL RIDGE/VALLEY REGION SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM THIS STORM COULD RANGE FROM AS LITTLE AS 2 INCHES TO AS MUCH AS 8 BY NOON FRIDAY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE PERIOD WILL START WITH THE LINGERING EFFECTS OF THE TREMENDOUS UPPER LOW WHICH WILL BE OVER NYC. NCEP ENS MDL GUID AND ECMWF 12Z RUN SLOWLY PUSH THE LOW OFF TO THE EAST...WHILE GFS 12Z KEEPS IT STATIONARY MUCH LONGER...AND EVEN RETROGRADES IT INTO WRN NY FOR SAT. GFS SEEMS LIKE AN OUTLIER IN THIS REGARD. WL HOLD CLOSER TO OTHER GUID AND HPC MED RANGE GUID...AND SLOWLY IMPROVE THE FCST CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND. AS HAS BEEN ADVERTISED FOR MANY DAYS...THE WINDS ON THE WRN SIDE OF THIS DEEP LOW WILL BE VERY STRONG INTO FRI NIGHT. G40KTS EXPECTED IN THE W AND S FRI. THE WRN MTS...ESP THE LAURELS AND WARREN CO...WILL HAVE A PROLONGED BOUT WITH UPSLOPE AND LK EFF SHSN THIS WEEKEND. THE LAKE IS MORE-OPEN NOW THAN IT WAS DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH...AND THE STRONG NWRLY WINDS THIS WEEKEND WILL SERVE TO PILE THE ICE UP EVEN MORE TO THE U.S. SIDE OF THE POND. THUS...MORE MSTR WILL BE AVBL FOR LK EFF ALL WEEKEND LONG. EXPECT SENSIBLE WX TO IMPROVE MON AND TUES...AND PERHAPS LAST INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE PATTERN OVER THE CONTINENT BECOMES DOMINATED BY A TALL RIDGE OVER THE FRONT RANGE AND UPPER PLAINS EARLY NEXT WEEK. RIDGE AXIS IN THIS LOCATION CORRELATES WELL TO A TROF AXIS RIGHT THRU PA. MOST MDL GUID POINTS TO THIS AND IT SHOULD SERVE TO KEEP ANY SYSTEMS THAT TRY TO GET THRU/UNDER THE BLOCK TO STAY WELL TO OUR S. ANY WAVES THAT TRY TO TOP THE RIDGE WILL FIND IT HARD TO SURVIVE ON SUCH LOW MOISTURE. SUB-CLIMO POPS ON ORDER FOR ALMOST ALL OF NEXT WEEK IN THE VERY DRY NW FLOW WITH A SFC ANTICYCLONE AS OUR NEIGHBOR OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. && .AVIATION /09Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SOME SMALL BANDS OF SNOW EAST OF A COUDERSPORT...STATE COLLEGE... CHAMBERSBURG LINE. THUS SOME SPOTS WILL SEE MVFR CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT... BUT MUCH OF THE TIME MAINLY VFR CONDS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT FOR PA AIRFIELDS...THEN GRADUALLY TREND IFR BY SUNRISE. THE MAIN EXCEPTION OF BFD HOLDING AT VFR/MVFR THRU 14Z THEN FLOW INCRS FROM THE NW. PRECIP INCREASES IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY FOR THE EASTERN PA AIRFIELDS ON THU...AND CONTINUES AFT 00Z FRI. VSBYS WILL STEADILY FALL AS SN INTENSITY PICKS UP AFT 14Z THUR. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AT TIMES LOWERING VSBYS AT AIRFIELDS BTWN 1/2SM AND 1SM OR IFR/LIFR CONDS. WINDS WILL CONTINUE GUSTY WITH IFR CIGS THRU 00Z FRI. OUTLOOK... FRI...MVFR/IFR FQNT SHSN W/CENT. IFR/MVFR -SN E. STRONG NW SFC WNDS. SAT-SUN...MVFR/IFR SHSN W. MAINLY VFR S/E. GUSTY NW SFC WNDS. MON...MVFR W/WITH -SHSN. VFR CENTRAL/EAST. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 PM EST FRIDAY FOR PAZ042-053-058. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM EST FRIDAY FOR PAZ010>012-017-018-024. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM EST FRIDAY FOR PAZ033. HIGH WIND WATCH FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR PAZ025>028-034>036-056-057-059-063>066. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM EST FRIDAY FOR PAZ004>006-037-041-046-051-052. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST FRIDAY FOR PAZ049-050- 057-059-065-066. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM EST FRIDAY FOR PAZ019-045. && SYNOPSIS...DEVOIR/LAMBERT NEAR TERM...DEVOIR SHORT TERM...DEVOIR/LAMBERT LONG TERM...DANGELO AVIATION...BEACHLER/MARTIN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 PAZ042-053-058-260845- SULLIVAN-COLUMBIA-SCHUYLKILL- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ010>012-017-018-024-260845- ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ057-059-065-066-260845- DAUPHIN-LEBANON-YORK-LANCASTER- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST FRIDAY... ...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. HIGH WIND WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. HIGH WIND WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ025>028-034>036-056-063-064-260845- BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-BEDFORD-FULTON-FRANKLIN-PERRY- CUMBERLAND-ADAMS- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ004>006-037-041-046-051-052-260845- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SOUTHERN LYCOMING- MONTOUR-NORTHUMBERLAND- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ049-050-260845- UNION-SNYDER- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ019-045-260845- SOUTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CLINTON- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ033-260845- SOMERSET- 340 AM EST THU FEB 25 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 8 and 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 10 and 15 inches. Snowfall amounts exceeded 20 inches over the highest elevations.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 6 and 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 6 and 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 8 and 12 inches, mainly over the northern half of the county.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 6 and 10 inches, mainly over the eastern half of the county.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged between 6 and 8 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 2010
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 209190, 209191, 209182, 209183, 209184, 209185, 209186, 209189, 209187, 209188.