The largest snow-producing storm of the 2013-2014 winter season affected much of central Pennsylvania on 13 February 2014. The heavy snow was produced by a strong coastal low pressure system that moved northeastward from the Virginia Capes over the Delmarva peninsula.
Every event with a place to put it; 29 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.
The largest snow-producing storm of the 2013-2014 winter season affected much of central Pennsylvania on 13 February 2014. The heavy snow was produced by a strong coastal low pressure system that moved northeastward from the Virginia Capes over the Delmarva peninsula. A heavy deformation snow band pivoted slowly to the northwest during the day, and persisted over the central zones into the evening before dissipating. The snow ended across the region by midnight on 14 February 2014.|Total snow accumulations generally ranged from 12 to 18 inches over the south-central and lower Susquehanna Valley zones with locally higher amounts (21.6 inches in Glencoe, Somerset County; 19.5 inches in Shrewsbury, York County). Snow amounts of 6 to 12 inches fell over the central ridge-valley region into the mid/upper Susquehanna valley, while 2 to 5 inches were common reports in the northwest mountains.
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 12, 9:27 PM EST, 3 hours 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 927 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE REGION LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE REGION ON FRIDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL WEAK DISTURBANCES BRINGING A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE FIRST PART OF A WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS EASTERN CANADA SUNDAY NIGHT...BRINGING ANOTHER COLD NIGHT TO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY MODERATE NEXT WEEK...AS A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS PULL WARMER AIR INTO THE AREA. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... INGREDIENTS CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER FOR A MAJOR WINTER STORM OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN PA. A STORM SYSTEM FORMING ALONG THE GULF COAST...WILL TURN UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD TOMORROW AND MOVE UP ALONG THE NJ COAST TOMORROW EVENING. THE TRACK FAVORS A SWATH OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW OVER MOST OF MY FCST AREA. WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND WINT WX ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT OVER THE SERN 2/3 OF MY FCST AREA. LIGHT SNOW HAS OVERSPREAD THE S TIER AS OF 02Z AND LATEST NAM/RAP...SUGGEST THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE LIGHT SNOW WILL REACH FROM ABOUT CLEARFIELD TO WELLSBORO BY 12Z. HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS FALLING ACROSS SOUTHERN VA AT 02Z...SHOULD SPREAD INTO THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY BTWN 09Z-12Z IN REGION OF STRONG FRONTOGENETIC FORCING AHEAD OF VIGOROUS SHORTWAVE OVR THE SOUTHEAST CONUS. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN NEARLY STEADY OVERNIGHT UNDER OVERCAST SKIES AND A LGT SE BREEZE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MAIN EVENT SHOULD BE UNDER WAY BY THURSDAY MORNING AS THE LOW BEGINS DEEPENING AND MOVING UP THE COAST...EXPECTED TO BE NEAR CAPE HATTERAS BY MID DAY. A DEEP EASTERLY FLOW DEVELOPS AND SLIDES UP OVER THE REGION. SREF PARA SHOWS AN EASTERLY ANOMALY ON THE ORDER OF 3-5 STD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL SURGING THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN ABOUT 12Z THURS THROUGH 00Z FRI. OPERATIONAL MODELS SHOW A DEEP LAYER OF STRONG FRONTOGENETIC FORCING DEVELOPING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS EASTERLY WIND MAX MOVING OUT AHEAD OF THE COASTAL STORM. THE RESULT WILL BE A BAND OF HEAVY SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THE AREA FROM JUST EAST OF STATE COLLEGE DOWN OVER THE HARRISBURG-LANCASTER-YORK AREAS. THE EXACT PLACEMENT OF THIS DEFORMATION-FRONTOGENETICALLY FORCED SNOW BAND IS STILL UNCERTAIN...AND WILL DEPEND ON THE ULTIMATE TRACK OF THE MID- UPPER LOW AS IT MOVES UP THE COAST. A SHIFT OF JUST A FEW MILES WILL POTENTIALLY HAVE BIG IMPLICATIONS ON MAX SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE. AT THIS POINT WE HAVE MUCH OF SERN PA EXPECTING AROUND A FOOT OF SNOW...FEATHERING AMOUNTS DOWN TO THE NW OF ONLY AN INCH OR TWO FROM NRN CLEARFIELD COUNTY UP INTO THE NRN MOUNTAINS. THE BACK EDGE WILL LIKELY BE QUITE SHARP. A POTENTIAL COMPLICATING FACTOR COULD BE THE PROSPECTS OF SOME SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN MIXING IN AT TIMES OVER THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY AS THE OPERATIONAL MODELS SHOW A NOSE OF ABV FREEZING AIR REACHING AS FAR WEST AS LANCASTER CO FOR A FEW HOURS FROM AROUND MID DAY THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON THURSDAY. THIS COULD KNOCK SNOW ACCUMS DOWN A BIT DEPENDING ON HOW FAST IT DEVELOPS AND HOW LONG IT STICKS AROUND. IT ALL POINTS TO A VERY SNOWY THURSDAY FOR MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA AS THE WINTER OF 2013-14 CONTINUES ON WITH A VENGEANCE. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST BTWN 00Z-08Z AS DEFORMATION BAND ON WESTERN PERIPHERY OF DEEPENING MID LVL LOW EXITS THE AREA. BY ARND 06Z-08Z...THE BACK EDGE OF THE SNOW SHOULD BE EXITING SULLIVAN AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES. EXPECT WINDS TO BECOME GUSTY THURSDAY AFTN AND THU NIGHT ACROSS OUR EASTERN COUNTIES...AS PRES GRADIENT TIGHTENS WEST OF DEEPENING COASTAL LOW. LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SUPPORT GUSTS TO ARND 25KTS FROM THE HARRISBURG AREA EASTWARD. SUCH WINDS COULD CAUSE A BIT OF BLOWING/DRIFTING IN OPEN AREAS...AND COMBINED WITH THE FALLING SNOW WILL CREATE VERY LOW VSBYS AT TIMES. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL TAKE ON A NEGATIVE TILT AS IT MOVES OFF THE COAST THU NIGHT. DEFORMATION SNOW WILL SLOWLY TAPER OFF LATE. IF THE SYSTEM IS STRONGER AND OR FURTHER WEST THAN EXPECTED...THEN SOME DEFORMATION SNOW WILL LINGER INTO FRIDAY MORNING. OTHERWISE...MUCH OF FRIDAY WILL BE DRY. A COLD FRONT MOVES IN LATER IN THE DAY...WITH SOME SNOW SHOWERS. HAVE TO WATCH FOR HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS...GIVEN COLD AIR ALOFT. A SERIES OF WEAK SYSTEMS WILL DROP SE ON SAT...THUS DID UP POPS SOME...AND LOWER TEMPS SOME FOR SAT AND SAT NIGHT. FOR SUNDAY...SYSTEM DROPPING SOUTH OF PA MAY BRING A FEW SNOW SHOWERS TO THE FAR WEST EARLY. DID LOWER TEMPS SUNDAY NIGHT BY A LOT...GIVEN THAT COLD HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHWARD FROM EASTERN CANADA...MUCH LIKE THIS AM. SLOWER WITH THE PRECIPITATION AND WARM UP ON MONDAY. GFS LOOKS TOO FAST WITH THE FRONT ON TUESDAY STILL...THUS WEIGHTED FCST TO WPC CHARTS AND EC OUTPUT. SHOULD BE DRY ON WED. RETURN FLOW AROUND THE HIGH AFTER TUESDAY COULD WARM TEMPS BY A LOT BY LATER NEXT WEEK...BUT SNOW COVER AND ICE ON LAKES MAY TAPER THINGS. PATTERN SUPPORTS A WARM UP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN STATES...BUT COLDER AIR STILL TO THE NORTH. ONE COULD SEE A 20 TO 30 DEGREE GRADIENT IN TEMPS FROM N PA TO S PA BY LATE NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN FLORIDA THIS EVENING WILL MOVE TO THE CAROLINA COAST LATE THURSDAY MORNING. SNOW TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES OVERNIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN PA. LOWER CLOUDS AND LIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN TERMINALS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...INTO CENTRAL AREAS BY AROUND MIDNIGHT. AS SNOW INCREASES OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH AND EAST AROUND MIDNIGHT...CONDITIONS WILL FALL TO IFR/LIFR AT KMDT/KLNS AND LIKELY INTO KJST-KAOO-KUNV-KSEG BY THURSDAY MORNING...AND REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH MUCH OF OF THE DAY THURSDAY. GENERALLY LIGHT NE WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 10-15 KTS WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 25 KTS IN THE SUSQ VALLEY DURING THE DAY THURSDAY AS THE LOW DEEPENS AND MOVES UP THE EAST COAST. LIGHT SNOW WILL PERSIST INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT CONDITIONS OVERALL WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE. A CLIPPER WILL SLIDE IN FROM THE WEST FOR FRI...BRINGING LIGHT SNOW AND RESTRICTIONS BACK TO MAINLY WESTERN HALF OF CWA. OUTLOOK... FRI...MVFR TO IFR WITH SCT SHSN WEST. MAINLY VFR EAST. LLWS POSS. SAT-SUN...MVFR TO IFR WITH SCT SHSN WEST. MAINLY VFR EAST. MON...LOWERING CONDITIONS WITH THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER LOW FROM THE GREAT LAKES. && .CLIMATE... THIS MORNING'S LOW OF -7 IN WILLIAMSPORT BROKE THE OLD RECORD OF -6 SET 1979. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ012-018-019-024-025-033-041-042-045-046. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ026>028-034>036-049>053-056>059-063>066. && SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE/MARTIN NEAR TERM...FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...MARTIN AVIATION...LA CORTE/GARTNER CLIMATE...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 446 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 PAZ026>028-034>036-049>053-056>059-063>066-132200- HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-BEDFORD-FULTON-FRANKLIN-UNION-SNYDER- MONTOUR-NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON- CUMBERLAND-ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 446 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...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...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. 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. PAZ012-018-019-024-025-033-041-042-045-046-132200- NORTHERN CLINTON-NORTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR- SOMERSET-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN CLINTON- SOUTHERN LYCOMING- 446 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...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...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. 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. PAZ004>006-010-011-017-037-132200- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-ELK-CAMERON-CLEARFIELD-TIOGA- 446 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. AN EAST COAST STORM COULD POTENTIALLY BRING A FEW INCHES OF SNOW THURSDAY FROM CLEARFIELD COUNTY NORTHEAST TO TIOGA COUNTY. T .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
29 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 20 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 20 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 12 to 18 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches with locally higher amounts.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 2014
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: 489683, 489685, 489686, 489687, 489688, 489689, 489690, 489691, 489692, 489693, 489694, 489695, 489696, 489697, 489698, 489699, 489700, 489701, 489702, 489703, 489704, 489705, 489706, 489707, 490141, 490142, 490143, 490144, 490145.