Winter Weather, Berks
- When
- January 20, 7:00 PM EST to January 21, 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Berks forecast zone
- Injuries
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.416, -75.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 20 to 21, 2011
Mainly snow fell across Eastern Pennsylvania from the evening of the 20th into the early morning of the 21st. Snowfall averaged 1 to 2 inches in and around the local Philadelphia area and 3 to 6 inches elsewhere in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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 PHI wrote it up.
Mainly snow fell across Eastern Pennsylvania from the evening of the 20th into the early morning of the 21st. Snowfall averaged 1 to 2 inches in and around the local Philadelphia area and 3 to 6 inches elsewhere in Eastern Pennsylvania. Snow began in the Poconos and Lehigh Valley during the evening of the 20th and slowly spread to the south, beginning in the local Philadelphia area shortly after Midnight EST on the 21st. Some rain mixed in with the snow in the local Philadelphia area. The snow fell at its heaviest between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. EST. The snow ended between 4 a.m. EST and 6 a.m. EST. Its greatest impact was on the morning commute in the Lehigh Valley and Poconos. A couple of accidents caused injuries in the Philadelphia northwest suburbs. An 18-year-old man was injured after he slid off of Gottschalk Road in Upper Frederick Township (Montgomery County). A 28-year-old man was pinned under a vehicle for 30 minutes after a vehicle traveling on Huffs Church Road in District Township (Berks County) swerved to avoid driving into a trash hauling truck.
Representative snowfall included 5.0 inches in Lehighton (Carbon County), 4.7 inches in Tobyhanna (Monroe County), 4.6 inches in Emmaus (Lehigh County), 4.5 inches in Bath (Northampton County), 4.4 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, 4.0 inches in Bechtelsville (Berks County), Glendon (Northampton County), East Nantmeal (Chester County) and Perkasie (Bucks County), 3.1 inches in West Chester (Chester County), 3.0 inches in Royersford (Montgomery County), 2.7 inches in Bensalem (Bucks County), 2.1 inches in Wynnewood (Montgomery County), 2.0 inches in Manayunk (Philadelphia County) 1.7 inches in Drexel Hill (Delaware County) and 0.6 inches at the Philadelphia.International Airport.
The snow and wintry mix were caused by a developing low pressure system that formed in the Tennessee Valley during the afternoon of the 20th and moved northeast. It reached West Virginia at 7 p.m. EST on the 20th, the lower Susquehanna Valley in Pennsylvania at 1 a.m. EST on the 21st, right over Atlantic City, New Jersey at 4 a.m. EST on the 21st and then accelerated eastward as it strengthened. At 7 a.m. EST on the 21st, the low was already southeast of Montauk Point, New York.
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 Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 20, 6:45 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 20, 6:45 PM EST, 15 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 20, 3:54 PM EST, 3 hours 6 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 NJZ001-007>010-012-015-PAZ054-055-060>062-067>069-212100- SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-MERCER-CARBON- MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS- 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV 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 ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NJZ021-022-026-212100- CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN- 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV 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 ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DEZ002>004-MDZ015-019-020-NJZ023>025-212100- KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE- CAPE MAY-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC- 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A QUICK MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A PERIOD OF RAIN AND SNOW TO THE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AN INCH OR LESS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DEZ001-MDZ008-012-NJZ013-014-016>020-027-PAZ070-071-212100- NEW CASTLE-CECIL-KENT MD-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-SALEM- GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN- SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV 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 ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ430-450-451-212100- DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 10 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ431-452>455-212100- DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM- 354 PM EST THU JAN 20 2011 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 10 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
10 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Weather, Carbon
- When
- January 20, 8:00 PM EST to January 21, 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Carbon forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.918, -75.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Monroe
- When
- January 20, 8:00 PM EST to January 21, 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Monroe forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 41.058, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Lehigh
- When
- January 20, 8:30 PM EST to January 21, 5:30 AM EST
- Where
- Lehigh forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.613, -75.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Northampton
- When
- January 20, 8:30 PM EST to January 21, 5:30 AM EST
- Where
- Northampton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.754, -75.307 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Chester
- When
- January 21, 12:00 AM EST to 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Chester forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Weather, Montgomery
- When
- January 21, 12:00 AM EST to 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Montgomery forecast zone
- Injuries
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Weather, Bucks
- When
- January 21, 12:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Bucks forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Weather, Philadelphia
- When
- January 21, 12:30 AM EST to 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Philadelphia forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.008, -75.134 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Delaware
- When
- January 21, 12:30 AM EST to 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Delaware forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 39.917, -75.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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
- Winter Weather and Cold in Tennessee, January 20 to 21, 2011
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 20, 2011
- Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 20 to 21, 2011
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 20, 2011
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Missouri, January 20, 2011
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, January 20 to 21, 2011
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 20, 2011
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 20, 2011
- Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 20, 2011
- Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 20, 2011
- Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 20, 2011
- Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 20 to 21, 2011
More
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, January 2011
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: 277763, 277766, 277767, 277764, 277765, 277760, 277761, 277762, 277758, 277759.