Pennsylvania, 2017

Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, December 29 to 31, 2017

December 29 to 31, 2017 · NWS PBZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An Alberta clipper system moved from the upper Mississippi Valley through the lower Ohio Valley on December 29, spreading a wide swath of 2-4 inches of snow across the region. As the system passed, upslope snow into the mountains intensified as a single dominant lake effect snow band emerged off of Lake Erie and was directed at the mountains of southwest Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 PBZ wrote it up.

An Alberta clipper system moved from the upper Mississippi Valley through the lower Ohio Valley on December 29, spreading a wide swath of 2-4 inches of snow across the region. As the system passed, upslope snow into the mountains intensified as a single dominant lake effect snow band emerged off of Lake Erie and was directed at the mountains of southwest Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and western Maryland. The heaviest snow fell in the late morning of December 30. Some selected totals are 9 inches in Champion and 7 inches in Ohiopyle.

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 Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 29, 3:52 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 29, 3:52 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
352 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

.SYNOPSIS...
Widespread snow tonight. More snow showers and very cold through
the weekend.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Snow has begun to move into the region from the west this
afternoon and will continue to do so overnight. Winter weather
advisories have been issued along and south of the Interstate 70
corridor where the best combination of moisture and lift is
expected. The advisory will continue for an extra day on
Saturday farther east where snow will continue for a longer
period of time. There will be little respite from the cold
temperatures that have plagued the region for the last several
days.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
Some light snow will continue into Saturday night in most
locations before winding down on Sunday. Some peeks of sun may
even be seen late on Sunday. Wind will lighten up slightly
during the day, which will make temperatures feel slightly more
bearable. If you plan on being outside at the start of the New
Year, dress in multiple layers as the entire forecast area
should be experiencing single digit warmth. Any lake effect snow
will generally be contained to the I-80 corridor on Monday
during the day with temperatures rebounding to the mid teens.

Next wave is expected
to dive further south overnight. However with such a cold air-
mass in place, snow production with this wave will be very
efficient. Snow will cross Ohio this evening, then spread across
the rest of my area late in the evening or shortly after
midnight. Latest model runs are also driving the deep moisture
field further south, generally over all of East Central Ohio,
Southwestern PA and locales southward. It still looks like the
ridges will see the most snowfall.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
There is little relief in sight from the cold and snowy pattern.
There are no above freezing numbers in the seven day forecast,
and every day but Tuesday has at least a chance of snow in the
forecast.

&&

.AVIATION /21Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Improvement back to VFR by late this afternoon before conditions
deteriorate rapidly this evening as crossing low pressure
returns snow to the region. IFR is likely.

.OUTLOOK...
Restrictions are expected in snow tonight through Sat night
with crossing low pressure. Periodic restrictions remain
possible through Tue under upper troughing and cold NW flow.

&&

.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST
     Sunday for MDZ001.
OH...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST
     Saturday for OHZ048-057>059-068-069.
PA...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST
     Saturday for PAZ031-075.
     Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST
     Sunday for PAZ074-076.
WV...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST
     Saturday for WVZ003-004-012-021-509.
     Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST
     Sunday for WVZ510>514.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 29, 4:23 AM EST, 13 hours 37 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
423 AM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-
029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-300930-
Garrett-Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson-
Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Mercer-Venango-Forest-
Lawrence-Butler-Clarion-Beaver-Allegheny-Armstrong-Indiana-
Washington-Greene-Westmoreland-Westmoreland Ridges-Fayette-
Fayette Ridges-Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-Marshall-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia-
Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston-
Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker-
423 AM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western Maryland, east
central Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, southwest Pennsylvania, west
central Pennsylvania, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia
and northern panhandle of West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Accumulating snow is expected tonight. A Winter Weather Advisory may
be needed.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Accumulating snow is expected Saturday, especially over the I-80
corridor and along the ridges. A Winter Weather Advisory may be
needed.

Extremely-cold air and wind will combine to produce hazardous wind
chills on Saturday night and Sunday.

.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

1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Fayette Ridges

When
December 29, 6:00 PM EST to December 31, 5:00 AM EST
Where
Fayette Ridges forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.920, -79.647 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, December 2017

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 731222.