Hurricane Sandy began as a tropical wave over the Caribbean Sea around 19 October 2012 and became a powerful storm by 23 October 2012 before making its long track over the western Atlantic, just off the East Coast of the United States and then into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. High latitude blocking over the North Atlantic and the interaction with a strong upper-air disturbance over the central…
Every event with a place to put it; 31 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.
Hurricane Sandy began as a tropical wave over the Caribbean Sea around 19 October 2012 and became a powerful storm by 23 October 2012 before making its long track over the western Atlantic, just off the East Coast of the United States and then into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. High latitude blocking over the North Atlantic and the interaction with a strong upper-air disturbance over the central Appalachians allowed Sandy to take a sharp left turn and accelerate northwest from the western Atlantic into southern New Jersey and across southern Pennsylvania. The center of post-tropical Sandy moved westward across the state beginning late in the evening on the 29th. The remnants of Sandy, a weakening low pressure system, exited northwestern Pennsylvania into Canada on October 31, 2012.
The highest recorded storm-total rainfall amount obtained in PA for the Oct 28-31, 2012 period was 7.94 inches at Schellsburg 2.6 WNW in Bedford County. There was an unconfirmed report of 8.15 inches at Hanover 5.4 S in York County which has not been verified. There was widespread storm-total rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches over the central and south portions of the Commonwealth with locally up to near 8 inches along the MD border region. However despite the heavy rainfall, hydrologic impacts were rather limited. Most of the significant flooding occurred in the southern most counties bordering Maryland, where the heaviest rainfall totals occurred. Areal Flood Warnings and Advisories were issued for the region. Six river forecast points rose above flood stage, with all but the Conestoga River at Lancaster (with moderate flooding) experiencing minor flood crests.
The impacts from the strong winds were widespread, with peak wind gusts were measured in the 50 to 60 mph range. High wind watches and warnings were issued well in advance of the storm. There were several reports of roof and other minor structural damage to homes and businesses. Widespread reports of trees down and power lines down were received. Wind damage caused significant power outages at the height of the storm.
Cold air was drawn into the southwest-side of the storm and produced heavy snows from October 29-31 across the southern Laurel Mountains. Amounts in excess of a foot were reported at several locations over the highest elevations including 14 inches at Laurel Summit in Somerset County. The ridges in Cambria County received between 2 and 4 inches.
There was one indirect storm-related fatality that occurred on the evening of the 29th. A person was killed in a Somerset County traffic accident, when their car slid off snow and slush covered road into a farm pond.
A disaster emergency was issued by the Governor on October 26, 2012. This was followed by a Presidential Emergency Declaration on October 29, 2012.
In summary, Superstorm Sandy was an enduring late season tropical cyclone which developed during a period of high-latitude blocking over the Atlantic Basin. The storm came ashore in New Jersey with significant impact to the coastal regions of the Mid-Atlantic states. The interaction of hurricane Sandy with a strong upper-air disturbance produced one of the more memorable and destructive storms in the Mid-Atlantic region in over 100 years.
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 Oct 29, 10:07 AM EST, 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1107 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012 .SYNOPSIS... SUMMARY OF 800 AM EDT...1200 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...36.8N 71.1W ABOUT 265 MI...425 KM SE OF ATLANTIC CITY NEW JERSEY ABOUT 310 MI...505 KM SSE OF NEW YORK CITY MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...85 MPH...140 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 330 DEGREES AT 20 MPH...32 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...946 MB...27.94 INCHES HURRICANE SANDY HAS BEGUN TO TURN TOWARD THE COAST AND WILL MAKE A HIGH IMPACT LANDFALL ON THE SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY COAST THIS EVENING...BEFORE MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN PA OVERNIGHT. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND HIGH WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH HEAVY WET SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE LATEST WV/IR SATL LOOP SHOWS HURRICANE SANDY BEGINNING TO TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST. LATEST RECON INDICATE THAT IT HAS CONTINUED DEEPENING SLIGHTLY TO 943MB. SANDY IS STILL EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL THIS EVENING AND REACH SOUTH-CENTRAL PA BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. STANDARDIZED MSLP ANOMALIES RELATED TO SANDY REMAIN 5-6 SIGMAS BELOW NORMAL...A STRONG INDICATION OF AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HISTORIC/RECORD-BREAKING EVENT. VERY HEAVY RAINS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE AREA INTO TONIGHT...WITH POSSIBLE HEAVY WET ACCUMS OVER THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS IN THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS. WINDS WILL STEADILY INCREASE...BECOMING SUSTAINED AT 30-40 MPH WITH GUSTS IN THE 60-70 MPH RANGE. WITH GROUNDS BECOMING VERY SATURATED...THESE WIND SPEEDS WILL LKLY KNOCK DOWN TREES/UTILITY WIRES RESULTING IN POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD LONG-DURATION POWER OUTAGES. NEG TILT MID/UPPER TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE SRN MID-ATLC STATES AND SRN APPALACHIANS WILL FOSTER INC UPPER LVL DIVG ABV VERY STG ONSHORE FLOW FOCUSED INTO THE MID-ATLC REGION. BUILDING RIDGE TO THE NORTH OF SANDY OVER THE CANADIAN MARITIMES AND INTERACTION/FUJIWARA EFFECT WITH AFOREMENTIONED DIGGING SHORTWAVE WILL TURN SANDY NW TODAY AND EVENTUALLY WNW BY LATE TONIGHT. WE STILL EXPECT WIDESPREAD 3-5" RAINFALL AMOUNTS...WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS PERHAPS IN THE 6-10" RANGE. THE HEAVIEST RAINS SHOULD CONCENTRATE OVER THE SOUTHERN 1/2-2/3 OF THE FCST ARE...WITH SLIGHTLY LOWER AMOUNTS OVER SRN ZONES. WITH THE WIND AND RAIN FORECASTS NOW FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD...THE MAIN UNCERTAINTY IS NOW ON POTENTIAL HEAVY WET SNOWS IN THE LAUREL MTNS OF SW PA. MODEL AND ENSEMBLE GUID IS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT IN GRADUAL COLUMN COOLING THROUGH THE DAY. RAIN HAS ALREADY CHANGED TO SNOW IN SRN WV /KHSP/ AT ELEVATIONS ABV 2000FT. STG HEIGHT FALLS AND DYNAMIC COOLING ALOFT/HEAVY PCPN RATES...COMBINED WITH WELL-DEFINED COLD NW FLOW UPSLOPE COMPONENT MAY COMPLETE A FULL TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW OVR THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...WITH MDL DATA TARGETING THE 21Z MON TO 06Z TUES TIME WINDOW...FOLLOWED BY AN ELEVATED WARM MARINE LAYER AND TEMPORARY MIX WITH/OR CHANGE BACK TO RAIN TUESDAY MORNING. SEVERAL INCHES OF STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL WERE PAINTED IN OUR GRIDS FOR THE RIDGES OF SOMERSET/CAMBRIA COUNTIES...MAINLY AOA 2200FT. THIS CONTINUES TO AGREE VERY WELL WITH THE THINKING OF HPC WINTER WEATHER DESK AND THEIR INTERNAL GRAPHICS. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... CONDITIONS SLOWLY IMPROVE TUESDAY WITH RAINFALL RATES DECREASING EVEN THOUGH THE CENTER OF GRADUALLY FILLING...POST-TROPICAL STORM SANDY WILL BE DRIFTING SLOWLY NWWD ACROSS SCENT PENN. RISING PRESSURE IN HER CORE WILL DIMINISH THE THREAT FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON...BUT STILL RELATIVELY STRONG WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 40 MPH WILL OCCUR FROM VARYING DIRECTIONS - DEPENDING WHERE YOU/RE LOCATED RELATIVE TO THE EXACT TRACK OF THE STORMS CENTER. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... DEEPENING...COLDER AIR WILL GRADUALLY OVERSPREAD THE ENTIRE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST AS SANDY LIFTS INTO NEW YORK AND SERN ONTARIO DURING THE MID-LATE WEEK PERIOD. A TYPICAL...DEEPENING NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN WITH SCATTERED VALLEY RAIN...AND MIXED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ACRS THE MTNS WILL FOLLOW RIGHT THROUGH THE END OF THIS WEEK...AND DAYTIME TEMPS WILL STAY WELL BELOW NORMAL. MID AND UPPER LEVEL...LARGE SCALE TROUGH AXIS WILL RESIDE ACROSS THE NE US AND ERN CANADA WITH PLENTY OF THICK CLOUD COVER FOR THE REST OF THIS WEEK. && .AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 29/09Z...UPDATE ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO PREV 06Z TAFS. 29/06Z... WV/IR SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS SANDY TURNING TOWARD THE NORTH...WITH THE CENTER LOCATED ABOUT 400MI SSE OF NYC AS OF 0600 UTC. SANDY WILL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST TODAY...FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE WNW TONIGHT. ON THE CURRENT FCST TRACK...THE CENTER OF SANDY WILL MOVE ONSHORE THE MID-ATLC COAST/NJ COAST THIS EVE/TNT. THE STORM WILL BECOME POST-TROPICAL AS IT ENTERS PA BY EARLY TUES. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT WHEN RUNNING THE CLIMATE CHECK FOR THE TAFS...A MESSAGE STATING "NO SIMILAR EVENTS FOUND" WAS DISPLAYED. WITH THAT IN MIND...EXPECT HAZARDOUS FLYING CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH INTENSITY OF RNFL AND LLVL WIND FIELDS STEADILY INCREASING. ADDED 5-10KTS ON TO THE PREV SFC GUSTS AND INCLUDED LLWS AT 50-65KTS. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF LOW CIGS AND VSBYS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS. THE STORM WILL BE OVER CENTRAL PA ON TUESDAY...THEN LIFT NWD ON WEDNESDAY. THE PATTERN SHOULD EVOLVE INTO A COLD CYCLONIC FLOW REGIME INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...WITH THE WORST FLYING CONDS OVR THE WRN MTNS. WILL NEED TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL FOR PTYPE CHANGEOVER TO SNOW AT JST TONIGHT..AS COLD AIR RUSHES INTO THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS. OUTLOOK... TUE...MVFR-IFR. PERIODS OF RAIN...WITH SNOW PSBL JST VCNTY. GUSTY WINDS. WED-THU...BREEZY. MVFR/IFR WITH -RA/SN SHOWERS WEST...MVFR CENTRAL AND EAST. FRI...MVFR -RA/SN SHOWERS WEST...BCMG VFR EAST. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 2 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR PAZ004>006- 010>012-017>019-024>028-033>035-037-041-042-045-046-049>053. FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR PAZ004>006-010>012- 017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059- 063>066. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TUESDAY FOR PAZ036-056>059- 063>066. && SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE/STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...LA CORTE/STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...LAMBERT LONG TERM...LAMBERT AVIATION...STEINBUGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 629 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012 PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-025>028-034-035-037-041-042-045-046- 049>053-301030- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD- NORTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CENTRE-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA- BEDFORD-FULTON-TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN CLINTON- SOUTHERN LYCOMING-UNION-SNYDER-MONTOUR-NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA- 629 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 2 PM EDT TUESDAY... 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. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. RAIN MAY MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO SNOW TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SPOTTERS MAY ALSO SEND REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. PAZ036-056>059-063>066-301030- FRANKLIN-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND-ADAMS-YORK- LANCASTER- 629 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EDT TUESDAY... 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. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SPOTTERS MAY ALSO SEND REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. PAZ024-033-301030- CAMBRIA-SOMERSET- 629 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 2 PM EDT TUESDAY... 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. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. RAIN MAY CHANGE TO SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS IN THE LAUREL MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. A LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCUMULATION OF HEAVY...WET SNOW IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SPOTTERS MAY ALSO SEND REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. MS/BL
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
30 high wind, 8 flood, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rainfall brought widespread flooding to Adams County. The first road closures began near 12 noon, with signicant flooding by 3pm.
The Conestoga River at Lancaster crested at 14.27 feet, in moderate flood stage. Several homes were affected by high water.
There was a precautionary evacuation of apporoximately 150 persons downstream of Speedwell Forge Dam in Elizabeth Township at approximately 4pm EDT on the 29th.
York County reported approximately 40 bridges were closed due to high water and debris. Five water rescues were performed and five mobile home parks were evacuated as a precaution. Glen Rock Borough evacuated 50 homes as a flooding precaution. Route 616 and Indian Rock Dam Road was flooded. The Seven Valleys Fire Department suffered temporary flooding.
During Monday, October 29, rising waters in streams led to precautionary evacuations of many persons at the following locations; Meadow Creek Mobile Home Park; Prince Mobile Home Park; Sharps Mobile Home Park; and Pine Road and Zimmys Road in Conewago Township.
Significant high wind damage was reported with peak gusts measured between 60-65 mph. Downed trees and utility wires closed dozens of roads. More than 7,000 homes and businesses were without power at the height of the storm.
Significant high wind damage was reported with peak gusts near 60 mph. The high winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, disrupting power to over 400 residents or about 10 percent of the county.
Significant high wind damage was reported with peak gusts near 60 mph. The high winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, disrupting power to over 400 residents or about 10 percent of the county.
Minimal high wind damage was reported with approximately 6-7 roads closed due to downed trees and utility wires.
High winds caused widespread tree and power pole damage throughout the county, with numerous reports of power outages.
High winds knocked down several trees and utility wires, resulting in approximately 10,000 power outages. Several roads were also closed. Multiple homes sustained significant structural damage due to the high winds and falling trees.
High winds produced widespread damage. Dozens of trees and utility wires were knocked down, closing several roads. At the height of the storm, 13,000 customers were without power. Several properties reported significant roof damage. In Spring Hill Acres, a large tree came through the roof of a home. South London Derry and South Annville Township also reported similar damage.
High winds knocked down several trees and utility wires, closing dozens of roads throughout the county. Sporadic power outages were also reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down several trees and utility wires, closing dozens of roads throughout the county. Sporadic power outages were also reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down trees with sporadic power outages reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down trees with sporadic power outages reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down numerous trees with several power outages reported county-wide. Two homes sustained structural damage (one from a falling tree) in the Marysville area.
High winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, causing thousands of power outages county-wide. Numerous roads were also closed due to falling trees and wires.
High winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, causing widespread power outages county-wide. Numerous roads were also closed due to falling trees and wires.
High winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, causing widespread power outages county-wide. Numerous roads were also closed due to falling trees and wires.
High winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, causing widespread power outages county-wide. During the height of the storm, most of the county had lost power. Numerous roads were also closed due to falling trees and wires.
High winds knocked down several trees and utility wires, causing sporadic power outages. A few roads were also closed due to falling trees and wires.
High winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, closing many roads throughout the county. At height of storm, approximately 20,000 customers were without power. I-83 and PA Turnpike restricting tractor trailer travel speeds due to high winds. One mobile home was destroyed by a falling tree. Approximately 40 residential homes sustained minor to moderate structural damage.
High winds produced widespread damage, including numerous trees and wires being knocked down. At the height of the storm, these 13,000 customers were without power.
High winds knocked down several trees and utility wires, causing sporadic power outages. Most significant impacts were felt in Hartley, West Buffalo and White Deer Townships. At the height of the storm there were over 4,00 customers without power. Some roadways were closed due to falling trees.
High winds knocked down several trees with scattered power outages reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down several trees with scattered power outages reported county-wide. A few structures sustained minor damage.
High winds knocked down several trees with scattered power outages reported county-wide. A few structures sustained minor damage. The high wind damage was concentrated in Montgomery, Peters, and St. Thomas Townships.
High winds knocked down several trees with widespread power outages reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down several trees with widespread power outages reported county-wide. Several homes sustained minor to moderate damage.
High winds knocked down several trees with widespread power outages reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down several trees with widespread power outages reported county-wide.
High winds knocked down several trees causing power outages county-wide.
High winds knocked down several trees and utility wires, causing power outages county-wide.
Flooding was most widespread in West St. Clair Township. Eight to ten roads were closed and one home was flooded near Camp Pleasant.
Generally minor flooding, with 1 flooded road and several flooded basements reported.
Flooding was noted in Montgomery, St. Thomas, Hamilton, Letterkenny, and Lurgan Townships. Widespread basement flooding and some road damage occurred where streams were out of their banks.
Many local roads were closed due to storm water runoff and small stream flooding.
Heavy rainfall resulted in minor flooding, mainly of basements. State Road 202 at Mill Street in Reilly Township was closed due to flooding.
High winds knocked down numerous trees and utility wires, causing widespread power outages county-wide.
Strong upslope flow and cooling aloft changed rain to snow over the Laurel Highlands, mainly above 2200 feet in elevation. Heavy snow accumulations between 6 and 12 inches were reported, with locally higher amounts on the ridge-tops above 2800 ft. COOP stations at Laurel Summit and Mount Davis each recorded over a foot of snow.
An 81-year-old woman was killed when the car she was a passenger in slid off snow covered Kingwood Road in Upper Turkeyfoot Township and rolled over into a farm pond on the east side of Route 281. Both the driver and passenger were trapped. The driver, a 51-year-old Confluence woman, wasn't injured and tried to get the passenger out of the vehicle, but was unable. The passenger was pronounced dead at Somerset Hospital.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow, Somerset | 2012-10-30 | 81 | Female | In Water | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, October 2012
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: 414662, 414667, 414674, 413139, 413140, 413141, 413142, 413143, 413144, 413145, 413146, 413147, 413148, 413149, 413150, 413151, 413152, 413153, 413154, 413155, 413156, 415175, 415177, 413157, 413158, 413159, 413160, 413161, 413162, 413163, 413164, 413165, 414663, 414664, 414666, 414668, 414673, 415176, 413166.