A major winter storm produced heavy snow across south-central Pennsylvania from the afternoon on the 5th through the late morning on the 6th. Snow accumulation ranged from 6 to 12 inches across the central mountains to 15 to 30 inches over the southern third of the state.
Every event with a place to put it; 23 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.
A major winter storm produced heavy snow across south-central Pennsylvania from the afternoon on the 5th through the late morning on the 6th. Snow accumulation ranged from 6 to 12 inches across the central mountains to 15 to 30 inches over the southern third of the state. A sharp gradient to the snow was observed north of Interstate 80 with little to no accumulation along the New York Border.
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 5, 12:50 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1250 PM EST FRI FEB 5 2010 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE...DEVELOPING OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO...WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TOWARD THE VIRGINIA COASTAL WATERS FOR OVERNIGHT AND SATURDAY. THIS STORM WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO MUCH OF THE REGION...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AREAS OF PENNSYLVANIA. COLDER AIR WILL FOLLOW FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEKEND...WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... WEB CAMS CONFIRM LIGHT SNOW IS JUST BEGINNING OVER THE MARYLAND BORDER COUNTIES. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAICS SHOW A LARGE SHIELD OF PRECIP UPSTREAM...ALL TAKING AIM AT THE REGION. SCENARIO IS PLAYING OUT PRETTY MUCH AS EXPECTED...WITH LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPING AND SPREADING NORTHEAST TODAY...WITH LIGHT ACCUMS ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 3 INCHES BY NIGHTFALL FROM ABOUT CLEARFIELD TO STATE COLLEGE AND GETTYSBURG WEST AND SOUTHWARD INTO THE LAURELS...LEAVING THE HEAVIEST SNOW TO FALL OVERNIGHT. MAIN TWEAK OF THE FORECAST PACKAGE WITH THIS RELEASE IS TO EXPAND THE WARNING FOR SNOW SLIGHTLY FURTHER NORTH...GIVEN LATEST OPERATIONAL NAM/GFS QPF'S OF BETWEEN .60" AND .80" OVER THE AREA JUST ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-80. WITH SNOW RATIOS EXPECTED TO AVERAGE IN THE 12 TO 15-1 RANGE...WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WARNING SNOWS UP INTO THE LOCAL AREA. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... WINDS SHUD STEADILY INC OVERNIGHT AS LOW BEGINS TO TRANSITION TOWARDS COASTAL CHARACTERS. HAVE FOCUSED WIND GUSTS ACROSS SE CORNER OF CWFA TO UPPER TEENS TO LOW 20S BY EARLY SAT. WILL REMAIN BLO BLIZZARD CRITERIA...HOWEVER EXPECT SOME BLOWING/DRIFTING OF SN ACROSS OUR WARNING REGION WITH VISIBILITIES TOUCHING 1/4SM AT TIMES EARLY SAT. AS SFC LOW INTENSIFIES OFF OF CAPE HATTERAS SAT MORNING...TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT SHOULD RESULT IN GUSTY NORTH WINDS...ESP ACROSS SE PA...WHERE LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SUPPORT GUSTS BTWN 25-30KTS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS BELOW BLIZZARD CRITERIA...SIGNIFICANT BLOWING/DRIFTING CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT SATURDAY ACROSS OUR SE ZONES. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... LOOKS LIKE A RETURN TO COLD PATTERN FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK WITH COLD NW FLOW IN THE WAKE OF THIS WEEKENDS STORM AND LONG WAVE TROF IS FCST TO DROP INTO NERN US MIDWEEK. THIS WILL LEAD AS WELL TO A RELATIVELY DRY PATTERN. THE ONLY SIG CHANGE AT PCPN AT THIS TIME IS TUE NIGHT INTO WED AS A SRN STREAM TROF IS FCST TO LIFT NORTH INTO THE MID ATLANTIC. TEMPS LOOK TO BE 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL PA. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... CONDITIONS HAVE ALREADY DROPPED TO IFR AT KJST AND KAOO RESPECTIVELY AS OF THE 18Z ISSUANCE...MARKING THE ARRIVAL OF THE THE -SN THAT WILL KEEP ALL AIRFIELDS BELOW IFR FOR MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SNOW WILL INTENSIFY OVERNIGHT...WITH WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES EXPECTED AT KMDT...KAOO...KUNV...AND KJST. EXPECT SNOW TO BE LESS INTENSE TO THE NORTH...WITH KIPT AND KBFD HOVERING AROUND THE IFR THRESHOLD DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SNOW WILL TAPER SATURDAY MORNING...WITH CONDITIONS GRADUALLY IMPROVING BY SATURDAY NIGHT. OUTLOOK... SAT...IFR CONDS IN SN...IMPROV LATE. SUN-MON...MAILY VFR. TUE...BECOMING MVFR AND IFR IN SNOW. WED...VFR...PSBL LAKE EFFECT SN OVER THE NW. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY FOR PAZ017>019- 024>028-033>036-056-057-059-063>066. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY FOR PAZ010>012- 045-046-049>053-058. && SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE/LAMBERT NEAR TERM...LA CORTE/BEACHLER SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/GARTNER LONG TERM...LAMBERT/GARTNER AVIATION...LA CORTE/DICKEY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1122 AM EST FRI FEB 5 2010 PAZ004>006-037-041-042-061630- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN- 1122 AM EST FRI FEB 5 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE. PAZ010>012-045-046-049>053-058-061630- ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-SOUTHERN CLINTON-SOUTHERN LYCOMING- UNION-SNYDER-MONTOUR-NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA-SCHUYLKILL- 1122 AM EST FRI FEB 5 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON 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...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. 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... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE. PAZ017>019-024>028-033>036-056-057-059-063>066-061630- CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON- MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-SOMERSET-BEDFORD-FULTON-FRANKLIN-PERRY-DAUPHIN- LEBANON-CUMBERLAND-ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 1122 AM EST FRI FEB 5 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON 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...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. 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... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE. STEINBUGL/LA CORTE
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
23 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 5 to 10 inches, with the heaviest amounts over the southern half of the county.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 5 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 6 to 8 inches, mainly over the southern half of the county.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 6 to 12 inches, mainly over the southern half of the county.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 20 to 30 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 15 to 25 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 15 to 25 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 12 to 18 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 15 to 20 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 12 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 18 to 24 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 18 to 24 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 18 to 27 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 20 to 30 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 15 to 30 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 15 to 25 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 18 to 24 inches.
Storm total snow accumulation ranged from 25 to 33 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: 205573, 205574, 205575, 205576, 205577, 205578, 205579, 205580, 205581, 205582, 205583, 205584, 205585, 205586, 205587, 205588, 205589, 205590, 205591, 205592, 205593, 205594, 205595.