A Miller-B East Coast winter storm affected the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States over this two day period, producing heavy snow for the interior and snow to sleet to rain closer to the coast. Portions of central Pennsylvania received nearly two feet of snowfall, with much of the CTP CWA receiving warning-criteria snow.
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.
A Miller-B East Coast winter storm affected the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States over this two day period, producing heavy snow for the interior and snow to sleet to rain closer to the coast. Portions of central Pennsylvania received nearly two feet of snowfall, with much of the CTP CWA receiving warning-criteria snow.
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 Mar 13, 6:04 PM EST, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 704 PM EDT Mon Mar 13 2017 .SYNOPSIS... A major winter storm will bring heavy snow to central Pennsylvania this evening through most of Tuesday. The eastern half or more of the commonwealth will see over 12 inches of snow. After a period of lake effect snow during mid-week and brief high pressure at the end of the week, an unsettled pattern will return. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... * Major to even crippling storm possible for the eastern half of the state. The local forecast of snow amounts has gone up just slightly, adding about 2-3 inches to the earlier numbers. EC and NAM much wetter than the GFS. The high QPF seems on-order in the east where the greatest 8H easterly wind anomalies point. Satellite images showing a rapidly advancing shield of low clouds moving northward from Central VA. Deepest moisture is still a few hours away, with all models now very well-agreed on timing. Sfc low will deepen rapidly tonight, but even more-so on Tuesday as it passes our latitude. Snow rates will become 1-2"/hour in the heaviest mesoscale bands. Thundersnow is also possible in those bands. Where and when these bands set up and how/when they pivot is the major factor of where the totals will be highest. These details are not easily seen even at this close range. HRRR and RAP will be important tools in this situation. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... The challenge with this forecast lies in where to make the really deep (>12") snow taper off. Placement of highest QPF is generally E of State College by all models, but SLRs will be greater/fluffier in the W. The sfc air is dry and winds generally 10 mph sustained. The wind will certainly be stronger closer to the coast and in eastern PA. However, no guidance gives any of Central PA sustained winds of blizzard criteria (frequent >=35mph gusts). Blizzard conditions are very rare this far inland. The biggest threat lies in the timing of the heaviest of the snow. 1" and 2"/hr rates may be common between 3 and 10 AM. This will create an extreme amount of trouble for travel. Deformation snowfall will persist into Tuesday afternoon with additional light accumulations in most areas. Far eastern areas will continue to significantly add to their totals while remaining on the western periphery of the heaviest snowfall associated with the offshore coastal low. The western counties will have the wind go northwesterly and additional snow will come first from perhaps a lingering deformation band and then some lake effect. The winds Tuesday night will be stronger than during the rest of the storm. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... A reinforcing surge of cold air will follow behind the big storm with snow showers and a breezy NW wind Wed-Thu. Temperatures well below average Wed behind the system with below average temps continuing through the week. Another wave drops across the region Fri into Sat with light snow (rain/snow south) likely. Additional scattered snow showers will impact the NW mtns through the weekend as breezy and chilly flow returns. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Bands of snow just south of PA now and just west of PA. Activity moving just a tad slower than expected so far, but with these systems, it can jump/develop real fast. Minor adjustments made to 00Z TAF package. Earlier infomation below. Mainly just high clouds across central PA now. Storm getting organized across the southeast now, timing still looks good. Main change to 18Z package was adjust timing a hour or two in spots, and add groups for changing conditions into Tuesday. The storm will rapidly overspread the region this evening with rapidly lowering conditions. Heavy snow and LIFR cigs and vsbys in +SN are expected overnight into Tuesday. Slow tapering of snow Tuesday into Tuesday night. IFR conditions in the west and MVFR conditions in the east expected Tuesday night. Winds will pick up on Tuesday, as the coastal storm becomes the main storm. Mainly VFR conditions on Wednesday, except continuing restrictions in west and north in widespread snow showers. Outlook... Mon Night-Tue AM...Widespread LIFR in +SN. Tues PM...+SN/SN ending S-N in the east, but continuing in the West. Generally improving to IFR W and MVFR E. Windy. Wed...Mainly VFR, with residual MVFR conditions in snow showers, especially in the west and north. Windy. Thu...Mainly VFR, with residual MVFR conditions in snow showers in the west and north. Winds slowly diminishing. Fri...Mainly VFR. Sat...Chance of rain and snow showers. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 10 PM EDT Tuesday for PAZ006-011- 012-018-019-025>028-034>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059- 063>066. Winter Storm Warning until 8 AM EDT Wednesday for PAZ004-005- 010-017-024-033. && SYNOPSIS...Dangelo NEAR TERM...Dangelo SHORT TERM...Dangelo LONG TERM...RXR AVIATION...Martin
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 1137 AM EDT Mon Mar 13 2017 PAZ006-011-012-018-019-025>028-034>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-141545- Potter-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Northern Centre-Southern Centre- Blair-Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Bedford-Fulton-Franklin-Tioga- Northern Lycoming-Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union- Snyder-Montour-Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill- Lebanon-Cumberland-Adams-York-Lancaster- 1137 AM EDT Mon Mar 13 2017 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 PM EDT TUESDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and 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...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. Winter Storm Warning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are requested to report snow and/or ice accumulations to the National Weather Service in State College. PAZ004-005-010-017-024-033-141545- Warren-McKean-Elk-Clearfield-Cambria-Somerset- 1137 AM EDT Mon Mar 13 2017 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and 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...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. Winter Storm Warning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are requested to report snow and/or ice accumulations to the National Weather Service in State College.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
29 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A winter storm produced 10-16 inches of snow across Adams County.
A winter storm produced 6-10 inches of snow across Blair County.
A winter storm produced 8-12 inches of snow across Bedford County.
A winter storm produced 12-18 inches of snow across Cumberland County.
A winter storm produced 15-20 inches of snow across Dauphin County.
A winter storm produced 7-12 inches of snow across Franklin County.
A winter storm produced 7-12 inches of snow across Fulton County.
A winter storm produced 10-14 inches of snow across Huntingdon County.
A winter storm produced 10-14 inches of snow across Juniata County.
A winter storm produced 5-10 inches of snow across Lancaster County.
A winter storm produced 12-16 inches of snow across Lebanon County.
A winter storm produced 12-15 inches of snow across Mifflin County.
A winter storm produced 12-18 inches of snow across Perry County.
A winter storm produced 14-22 inches of snow across Schuylkill County.
A winter storm produced 14-18 inches of snow across Snyder County.
A winter storm produced 7-16 inches of snow across York County.
A winter storm produced 20-24 inches of snow across Columbia County.
A winter storm produced 20-24 inches of snow across Montour County.
A winter storm produced 6-10 inches of snow across Northern Centre County.
A winter storm produced 6-10 inches of snow across Northern Clinton County.
A winter storm produced 8-15 inches of snow across Northern Lycoming County.
A winter storm produced 16-24 inches of snow across Northumberland County.
A winter storm produced 6-10 inches of snow across Potter County.
A winter storm produced 7-14 inches of snow across Southern Centre County.
A winter storm produced 8-14 inches of snow across Southern Clinton County.
A winter storm produced 13-19 inches of snow across Southern Lycoming County.
A winter storm produced 18-21 inches of snow across Sullivan County.
A winter storm produced 7-15 inches of snow across Tioga County.
A winter storm produced 13-19 inches of snow across Union County.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Storm, Schuylkill | 2017-03-14 | 83 | Female | Permanent Home | Indirect |
| Winter Storm, Schuylkill | 2017-03-14 | Male | Permanent Home | Indirect | |
| Winter Storm, Schuylkill | 2017-03-14 | Male | Permanent Home | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, March 2017
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: 675620, 675622, 675623, 675624, 675787, 675788, 675789, 675790, 675791, 675792, 675793, 675794, 675800, 675802, 675803, 675810, 675621, 675795, 675796, 675797, 675798, 675799, 675801, 675804, 675805, 675806, 675807, 675808, 675809.