Pennsylvania, 2020

Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, March 23, 2020

March 23, 2020 · NWS PHI · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Weak but steadily strengthening low pressure tracked just offshore of the mid-Atlantic coast on March 23, spreading precipitation over the region. Typical for the time of year and a low track so close to the coast, precipitation fell as mainly rain.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

Weak but steadily strengthening low pressure tracked just offshore of the mid-Atlantic coast on March 23, spreading precipitation over the region. Typical for the time of year and a low track so close to the coast, precipitation fell as mainly rain. However, high pressure to the northeast helped hold some marginally cold air in place over some higher elevation areas, allowing some freezing rain to fall.

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 Mar 22, 2:43 PM EST, 11 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 22, 2:43 PM EST, 11 hours 47 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 22, 2:34 PM EST, 11 hours 56 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Carbon

When
March 23, 2:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Carbon forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
40.918, -75.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Surface observations and radar data, along with observations from surrounding areas, indicate that freezing rain fell over portions of the county, and that some light accretion likely occurred especially at higher elevations.

Winter Weather, Monroe

When
March 23, 3:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Monroe forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
41.058, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Freezing rain occurred. The Mount Pocono, PA ASOS (KMPO) measured 0.47 inches of ice accretion. Light snow or sleet of less than one inch accumulation was also reported in the area.

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

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, March 2020

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 879497, 879496.