Pennsylvania, 2018Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 29 to 30, 2018
January 29 to 30, 2018 · NWS CLE · 1 event in 1 county or zone
An upper trough moved east across the upper Ohio Valley on January 29th. A large area of snow associated with this feature moved across the region.
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.
- 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $150,000
- 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.
An upper trough moved east across the upper Ohio Valley on January 29th. A large area of snow associated with this feature moved across the region. The snow reached northwestern Pennsylvania late in the afternoon. The snow intensified during the evening commute with visibilities at times under a half mile. Snowfall rates exceed an inch per hour causing significant travel problems. The snow quickly transitioned to lake effect snow during the evening as winds behind the low became northwest to north-northwest. Lake effect snow showers then continued through the early morning hours. Some of the snow was heavy with visibilities less than a half mile at times and snowfall rates in excess of an inch per hour. Most of the snow showers dissipated by daybreak on the 30th. After a brief lull the snow showers picked up again during the afternoon hours before finally ending for good early in the evening. Accumulations of greater than 6 inches were common across inland Erie County with most of the snow falling during the late evening hours of the 29th and early morning hours of the 30th. In Erie County, a peak total of 13.0 inches was reported at Colt Station. Other totals from across inland Erie County included: 10.0 inches south of North East; 8.0 inches in Greene Township; 8.0 inches in McKean and 7.0 inches in Edinboro. Winds gusted to as much as 30 mph during this event causing a lot of blowing and drifting. Many accidents were reported. Some school districts closed or had delayed starts on the 30th.
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 Cleveland, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 29, 3:54 PM EST, 6 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 29, 3:54 PM EST, 6 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
354 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
.SYNOPSIS...
Low pressure across northeast Ohio will move into central PA by
Tuesday morning. High pressure will quickly move across the
region later Tuesday through Tuesday night. A warm front will
lift north of the area Wednesday with a cold front to follow for
Thursday. Temperatures turn colder over the second half of the
weekend with another cold front.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
Trend is to pull back on snowfall amounts for a couple of
reasons, but will be leery to go too far with lake effect
potential. As far as synoptic snow goes, accumulations have been
hard to come by so far across the central and eastern areas as
temperatures had warmed into the upper 30s and even mid 40s out
toward Youngstown. That will cut into original totals that were
counting on accumulations this afternoon. Latest radar mosaic
shows best snowfall not moving across the I-71 corridor and
heading east- northeast. Lighter snow follows in its wake across
northwest OH. Forecast soundings keep the deeper moisture
around Cleveland through about 2AM with a north flow off of the
lake. So could see a few/several hours of a resurgence of snow.
After that drying begins aloft and potential for advisory worthy
snow begins to diminish from west to east. So, morning commute
snow intensity up in the air. We will likely have ongoing snow
showers at that time, tapering later in the morning. Snow pulls
out later across northwest PA so still could see 4 inches
there. High pressure/ridge has been advertised to build quickly
over the area.
Temperatures tonight will retreat back into the upper teens/near
20. Recovery Tuesday will be just a handful of degrees. Western
areas should have some breaks/sunshine/brief clearing, but then
clouds increase as warm advection begins late Tuesday night.
Lows will range from near 10 far east to near 20 far west.
&&
.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
Wednesday begins with warm advection surging into the area from the
southwest. Best moisture remains north of the area for the first
half of the day. Will continue to keep the morning dry and then
have a slight chance pop for the afternoon as moisture deepens.
Wednesday night a cold front will move in from the northwest.
Moisture will continue to increase through the night so will
continue with high chance pops to likely pops. Thursday dry air
begins moving in from the northwest although deep moisture will be
in place across the southeast through the morning and early
afternoon just ahead of the cold front so will continue with chance
to to likely pops there and increase pops in the afternoon to likely
in the snowbelt as 850mb temps drop to -12 to -14C with flow off the
lake. Thursday night, modified Arctic air moves in with 850mb temps
dropping to around -20C by 12Z Friday. The GFS remains moisture
across the snowbelt overnight while the ECMWF is a bit drier. With
a large portion of the lake open will need to have likely pops for
the snowbelt through the night. Friday will decrease pops from high
chance to low chance through the day in the snowbelt as higher
pressure and slightly drier air move in. Wednesday temps above
normal. Thursday near normal. Friday well below normal.
&&
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
The period will start out quiet but the area could be impacted by a
winter storm over the weekend. Lot's of model differences persist
but it appears Saturday night and Sunday could see some snow. Best
guess right now is that low pressure will pass to the north of the
area and drag a cold front across the region. Accumulating snow is
expected ahead and along the front. The snow should end from
northwest to southeast during the day Sunday. Given some model
timing and low track differences accums are somewhat up in the air.
Have bumped precip chances up some and expect that trend to continue
the next couple of days. High pressure will quickly build in for
Monday and am expecting a dry day. Temperatures will be on the
downward slide during the period. By Monday high temps will be a
good 15 degrees below normal.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z Monday THROUGH Saturday/...
Snow to pivot across the area through the rest of today.
Conditions abruptly deteriorate at the onset of snow (within an
hours time). Snow will be associated with widespread IFR
conditions. Winds will also come around to the north-northwest
shortly after arrival of the snow. Those winds will tend a
little more toward northwest through Tuesday morning with gusts
of 25 knots across most of the eastern terminals through the
night. Snow will be ending across the west this evening and
ceilings will begin to improve. But as the synoptic/system snow
exits the rest of the terminals late this evening/toward
midnight, lake enhancement will begin to take place with the
northerly flow. Expect snow showers to continue for CLE/ERI and
on and off for CAK/YNG into Tuesday morning. Would think that
CLE will be in the clear from the heavier snow showers after 6
or 7AM.
OUTLOOK...Non-VFR Wednesday night into Thursday.
&&
.MARINE...
Winds will continue out of the north overnight increasing to 20 to
25 knots as high pressure builds in from the west and low pressure
southeast of the lake moves to north central/northeast PA by 12Z. A
trough will extend wnw from the low dividing the lake west to east.
The trough and low will dissipate Tuesday as high pressure builds in
from the west. This will allow northwest flow to diminish through
the day Tuesday. Flow will continue light Tuesday night as winds
turn out of the south. Southerly flow will then persist through
Wednesday afternoon increasing to 15 to 20 knots before turning
southwest late. Southwest flow will continue at 10 to 15 knots into
early Thursday at 10 to 15 knots before turning northwest behind a
cold front. Northwest flow will continue Friday and Friday night
before backing to southwest at 10 to 15 knots Saturday.
&&
.CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST Tuesday for OHZ011>013.
Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST Tuesday for OHZ014-089.
PA...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST Tuesday for PAZ001>003.
MARINE...None.
&&
SYNOPSIS...Oudeman
NEAR TERM...Oudeman
SHORT TERM...TK
LONG TERM...Kubina
AVIATION...Oudeman
MARINE...TKHazardous weather outlook, Jan 29, 1:08 PM EST, 2 hours 52 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
108 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
OHZ003-006>009-017>019-027>033-036>038-047-301815-
Lucas-Wood-Ottawa-Sandusky-Erie-Hancock-Seneca-Huron-Wyandot-
Crawford-Richland-Ashland-Wayne-Stark-Mahoning-Marion-Morrow-Holmes-
Knox-
108 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Ohio, northeast
Ohio and northwest Ohio.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.
No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
LEZ061-142>149-162>169-301815-
Lake Erie open waters from Ripley to Buffalo NY-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Reno Beach to The Islands OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from The Islands to Vermilion OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Vermilion to Avon Point OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Avon Point to Willowick OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Willowick to Geneva-on-the Lake OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Geneva-on-the-Lake to Conneaut OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Conneaut OH to Ripley NY-
Lake Erie open waters from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Reno Beach to The Islands OH-
Lake Erie open waters from The Islands to Vermilion OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Vermilion to Avon Point OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Avon Point to Willowick OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Willowick to Geneva-on-the-Lake OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Geneva-on-the-Lake to Conneaut OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Conneaut OH to Ripley NY-
108 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Lake Erie.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.
No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
OHZ014-089-PAZ001>003-301815-
Ashtabula Inland-Ashtabula Lakeshore-Northern Erie-Southern Erie-
Crawford-
108 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST TUESDAY...
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Ohio and northwest
Pennsylvania.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.
Winter Weather Advisory.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.
Winter Weather Advisory.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
OHZ011>013-301815-
Cuyahoga-Lake-Geauga-
108 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST TUESDAY...
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Ohio.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.
Winter Weather Advisory.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.
Winter Weather Advisory.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
OHZ010-020>023-301815-
Lorain-Medina-Summit-Portage-Trumbull-
108 PM EST Mon Jan 29 2018
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Ohio and
northeast Ohio.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
Snow will impact the evening commute with generally 1 to 3 inches of
snow expected. Watch out for slippery conditions from late this
afternoon into tonight.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.
No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Winter Storm, Southern Erie
- When
- January 29, 4:00 PM EST to January 30, 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Southern Erie forecast zone
- Property damage
- $150,000
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 42.118, -80.098 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
An upper trough moved east across the upper Ohio Valley on January 29th. A large area of snow associated with this feature moved across the region. The snow reached northwestern Pennsylvania late in the afternoon. The snow intensified during the evening commute with visibilities at times under a half mile. Snowfall rates exceed an inch per hour causing significant travel problems. The snow quickly transitioned to lake effect snow during the evening as winds behind the low became northwest to north-northwest. Lake effect snow showers then continued through the early morning hours. Some of the snow was heavy with visibilities less than a half mile at times and snowfall rates in excess of an inch per hour. Most of the snow showers dissipated by daybreak on the 30th. After a brief lull the snow showers picked up again during the afternoon hours before finally ending for good early in the evening. Accumulations of greater than 6 inches were common across inland Erie County with most of the snow falling during the late evening hours of the 29th and early morning hours of the 30th. In Erie County, a peak total of 13.0 inches was reported at Colt Station. Other totals from across inland Erie County included: 10.0 inches south of North East; 8.0 inches in Greene Township; 8.0 inches in McKean and 7.0 inches in Edinboro. Winds gusted to as much as 30 mph during this event causing a lot of blowing and drifting. Many accidents were reported. Some school districts closed or had delayed starts on the 30th.
- 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.
- Winter Storm in Ohio, January 29 to 30, 2018$650,000 · 3 events
- High Wind in Montana, January 29 to 30, 201875 kt wind · 32 events
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 29 to 30, 20188 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Rhode Island, January 29 to 30, 20187 events
- Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 29 to 30, 20185 events
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 29 to 30, 20185 events
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 29, 20184 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New York, January 29 to 30, 20184 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 29 to 30, 20184 events
- Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 29, 20183 events
- Winter Weather in Virginia, January 29 to 30, 20182 events
- Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 29 to 30, 20182 events
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: 733329.