Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 25 to 27, 2015

Name: Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 25 to 27, 2015
Start: 2015-01-25T21:00
End: 2015-01-27T15:00
Location: Pennsylvania

January 25 to 27, 2015 · NWS PHI · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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.

A complex winter storm that buried Long Island and southern New England under heavy snow and blizzard conditions spared Eastern Pennsylvania as the area was too far west to receive heavier wrap-around snow from it and the area was affected just as much, if not more, by a clipper low pressure system that preceded it from the west. Total snowfall on the 26th and 27th averaged one to four inches with some higher amounts in Bucks County. Snow began falling during the evening and overnight on the 25th. In the local Philadelphia area, the precipitation started briefly as rain that evening before changing to snow. While it snowed most of the day on the 26th, there were times when it briefly stopped or the intensity was very light. The snow ended on the morning of the 27th, except in the Poconos where it ended that afternoon.

In anticipation of a greater impact, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced a snow emergency. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf declared a disaster emergency. All 622 flights out of Philadelphia International Airport were cancelled on the 27th. There were 421 flight cancellations on the 26th. All schools and city offices in Philadelphia were closed on the 27th. Many suburban schools and municipalities followed suit. SEPTA Regional Rail Service in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a special (reduced) snow schedule on the 26th and 27th. Amtrak reduced the frequency of trains along the Northeast Corridor. On the 26th, many schools dismissed early and canceled after school activities. Local governments and school administrators cancelled public meetings. West Chester University (Chester County) cancelled all evening classes. On the 27th, Berks County schools had delayed openings.

Representative snowfall included 5.4 inches in Furlong (Bucks County), 4.0 inches in Langhorne (Bucks County), Forks Township (Northampton County) and Pocono Summit (Monroe County), 3.3 inches in East Nantmeal (Chester County) and King of Prussia (Montgomery County), 3.2 inches in Saylorsburg (Monroe County), 2.5 inches in Center Valley (Lehigh County), 2.1 inches in Bowmanstown (Carbon County) and Martins Creek (Northampton County), 2.0 inches in Royersford (Montgomery County) and Wynnewood (Montgomery County), 1.9 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, 1.8 inches in Garnet Valley (Delaware County), 1.7 inches in Spring City (Chester County), 1.5 inches in Palmerton (Carbon County) and Northeast Philadelphia, 1.2 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport, 1.1 inches in Mohnton (Berks County) and 1.0 inch in Nottingham (Chester County) and Chadds Ford (Delaware County).| |The first low pressure system formed in Saskatchewan Province on the 24th. It proceeded to move southeast and passed through Iowa early on the 25th. It reached the lower Ohio Valley on the evening of the 25th as an arctic cold front was starting to move south through Delaware. The low pressure system reached West Virginia on the morning of the 26th as a secondary low pressure system was forming on the North Carolina coast. At 1 p.m. EST on the 26th, double barrel low pressure systems existed with the original still over West Virgina and an already stronger secondary (998 millibars) east of the Virginia coast. The former low pressure system moved into western Pennsylvania that evening while the latter low pressure system was already about 150 miles east of the Delmarva Peninsula. Later that evening the original low pressure system dissipated while the secondary low pressure system took a turn more to the north and started to intensify rapidly. At 7 a.m. EST on the 27th, that low pressure system had deepened to 975 millibars and was located southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. From there, the low pressure system started to slowly weaken as it drifted off to the northeast. While heavier snow tried to back into Pennsylvania overnight on the 26th, the offshore track was too east for it to reach the state. It was estimated that the storm caused 500 million to 1.25 billion dollars in unrecoverable lost productivity and economic activity in the Northeast.

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 25, 6:33 PM EST, 2 hours 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 25, 6:33 PM EST, 2 hours 27 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 25, 4:18 PM EST, 4 hours 42 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

NJZ001-007>010-015-017>019-PAZ070-071-103>106-262130-
SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MERCER-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-
NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-WESTERN MONTGOMERY-
EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 6 PM EST
TUESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN
NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND
SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES AND THE SNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT
ON MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NJZ012>014-020-026-262130-
MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-OCEAN-COASTAL OCEAN-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 6 PM EST TUESDAY...
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE
MONDAY NIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN
NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES AND THE SNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT
ON MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   BLIZZARD WARNING.
   COASTAL FLOOD WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NJZ016-021>025-027-262130-
SALEM-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-
COASTAL ATLANTIC-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 6 PM EST
TUESDAY...
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE
MONDAY NIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES AND THE SNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT
ON MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.
   COASTAL FLOOD WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

DEZ001-262130-
NEW CASTLE-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE
MONDAY NIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN DELAWARE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES AND THE SNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT
ON MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WATCH.
   COASTAL FLOOD WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

MDZ008-PAZ054-055-060>062-101-102-262130-
CECIL-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-WESTERN CHESTER-
EASTERN CHESTER-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MARYLAND...EAST
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES AND THE SNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT
ON MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

MDZ012-015-019-020-262130-
KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MARYLAND.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE UP TO AN INCH OR TWO AND THE SNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON
MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

DEZ002>004-262130-
KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING...
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE
MONDAY NIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE AND SOUTHERN
DELAWARE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN INITIAL SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN SNOWSTORM ARRIVES ON MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ARE FORECAST
TO RANGE UP TO AN INCH OR TWO AWAY FROM THE COAST AND THE SNOW
WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON MONDAY MORNING'S COMMUTE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WATCH.
   COASTAL FLOOD WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ANZ450>453-262130-
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-
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-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 6 PM EST TUESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   STORM WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ANZ430-431-454-455-262130-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
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-
418 PM EST SUN JAN 25 2015

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 6 PM EST TUESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND
DELAWARE BAY WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

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.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Berks

When: January 25, 9:00 PM EST to January 27, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Berks forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.416, -75.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Chester

When: January 25, 10:00 PM EST to January 27, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Western Chester forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.973, -75.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Eastern Chester

When: January 25, 11:00 PM EST to January 27, 10:30 AM EST
Where: Eastern Chester forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 39.973, -75.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Montgomery

When: January 25, 11:00 PM EST to January 27, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Western Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.211, -75.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Delaware

When: January 25, 11:30 PM EST to January 27, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Delaware forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.917, -75.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Philadelphia

When: January 25, 11:30 PM EST to January 27, 11:00 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, Eastern Montgomery

When: January 25, 11:30 PM EST to January 27, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.211, -75.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Upper Bucks

When: January 26, 12:00 AM EST to January 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Upper Bucks forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.337, -75.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Lower Bucks

When: January 26, 12:00 AM EST to January 27, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Lower Bucks forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 40.337, -75.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Carbon

When: January 26, 2:00 AM EST to January 27, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Carbon forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 40.918, -75.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Lehigh

When: January 26, 2:00 AM EST to January 27, 6:00 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 26, 2:00 AM EST to January 27, 6:00 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, Monroe

When: January 26, 2:00 AM EST to January 27, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.058, -75.339 (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

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Pennsylvania, January 2015

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 555010, 555014, 555015, 555020, 555016, 555017, 555021, 555011, 555012, 555013, 555018, 555019, 555022.