Pennsylvania, 2026

Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 22 to 23, 2026

February 22 to 23, 2026 · NWS CTP · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A coastal low stationed off the Tidewater of Virginia during the morning to afternoon hours of February 22, 2026 allowed for ample moisture influx from the Atlantic with light snow forming across portions of eastern Pennsylvania. Light snow was mainly observed throughout the morning and afternoon hours with heavier snow beginning during the late evening hours and throughout the morning hours of…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
1
Property damage
$57,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 CTP wrote it up.

A coastal low stationed off the Tidewater of Virginia during the morning to afternoon hours of February 22, 2026 allowed for ample moisture influx from the Atlantic with light snow forming across portions of eastern Pennsylvania. Light snow was mainly observed throughout the morning and afternoon hours with heavier snow beginning during the late evening hours and throughout the morning hours of February 23rd across portions of eastern Pennsylvania. This heavier snow was due to a combination of bombogenesis of the aforementioned area of low pressure and ample frontogenetic forcing that allowed for a heavy band of snowfall to form across portions of south-central Pennsylvania extending into the Susquehanna Valley. Winds associated with the pressure gradient of the rapidly deepening cyclone allowed for gusty winds, generally in the 30 to 40 mph range, across much of eastern Pennsylvania with highest gusts closer to the Atlantic Coast. Slick conditions and gusty winds from this system allowed for multiple accidents across eastern Pennsylvania, including one that resulted in one injury in Lancaster County.

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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 21, 2:19 PM EST, 13 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 2:19 PM EST, 13 hours 41 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

4 heavy snow, 2 winter weather, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Adams

When
February 22, 4:00 AM EST to February 23, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.872, -77.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow associated with a coastal system began during the early morning hours of February 22, 2026 become heavier during the evening hours and into the morning hours of February 23rd across Adams County. Lingering light snow did occur throughout the day on February 23rd before slowly tapering off during the afternoon hours. Snowfall totals generally ranged between four to six inches from this system.

Winter Weather, Snyder

When
February 22, 4:00 AM EST to February 23, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Snyder forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.770, -77.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall began in Snyder County during the early morning hours with the heaviest snowfall falling during the evening hours of February 22nd and into the morning hours of February 23rd. Snowfall amounts in the county ranged generally between from two to four inches; however, a heavy snow band across western portions of the county allowed for localized accumulations between six and seven inches. Snowfall became lighter during the late morning hours of February 23rd before tapering off during the afternoon/evening hours. No incidents were reported due to this snowfall.

Winter Weather, Union

When
February 22, 4:00 AM EST to February 23, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Union forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.963, -77.062 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall began in Union County during the early morning hours with the heaviest snowfall falling during the evening hours of February 22nd and into the morning hours of February 23rd. Snowfall amounts in the county ranged generally between from two to four inches; however, a heavy snow band across western portions of the county allowed for localized accumulations between six and seven inches. Snowfall became lighter during the late morning hours of February 23rd before tapering off during the afternoon/evening hours. No incidents were reported due to this snowfall.

Heavy Snow, Cumberland

When
February 22, 4:30 AM EST to February 23, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Cumberland forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.164, -77.266 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall began in Cumberland County during the early morning hours with the heaviest snowfall falling during the evening hours of February 22nd and into the morning hours of February 23rd allowed for slick travel conditions, mainly during the early morning hours of February 23rd, where a tractor trailer overturned on Interstate 81 in Penn Township. There were no injuries reported from this incident; however, the northbound lane of Interstate 81 was closed for a brief period of time. Snowfall amounts in the county ranged from four to six inches across the eastern half of the county, with locally heavier amounts under a heavy snow band that set up in the region. Snowfall became lighter during the late morning hours of February 23rd before tapering off during the afternoon/evening hours.

Heavy Snow, Lancaster

When
February 22, 5:00 AM EST to February 23, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Lancaster forecast zone
Injuries
0 direct, 1 indirect
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.042, -76.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow associated with a coastal system began during the early morning hours of February 22, 2026 become heavier during the evening hours and into the morning hours of February 23rd across Lancaster County. Lingering light snow did occur throughout the day on February 23rd before slowly tapering off during the evening hours. Snowfall totals generally ranged between three to five inches with the multiple reports across eastern portions of the county ranging between five to seven inches of snowfall from this system. A tractor trailer overturned on State Route 272 in Drumore Township due to slick roadways on February 22nd, injuring one person. During the early morning hours of February 23rd, another tractor trailed jackknifed on US Route 222 in Manheim Township closing the roadway for a period of time. Winds associated with this system also knocked down a tree onto wires in Ephrata Township.

Heavy Snow, York

When
February 22, 5:00 AM EST to February 23, 9:00 PM EST
Where
York forecast zone
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.920, -76.726 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow associated with a coastal system began during the early morning hours of February 22, 2026 become heavier during the evening hours and into the morning hours of February 23rd across York County. Lingering light snow did occur throughout the day on February 23rd before slowly tapering off during the evening hours. Snowfall totals generally ranged between four to six inches with the multiple reports across eastern portions of the county ranging between five to seven inches of snowfall from this system. Winds associated with this system also knocked down a tree down into power lines that fell onto State Route 216, closing the roadway for multiple hours.

Strong Wind, Tioga

When
February 22, 11:00 PM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Tioga forecast zone
Measured
39 kt (45 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$30,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
41.772, -77.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts associated with the coastal system knocked down a tree onto power lines that was then knocked down onto a PennDOT truck on State Route 287 in Delmar Township. No injuries were reported from this incident; however, the roadway was closed during the early morning hours of February 23, 2026. Gusty winds began during the late evening hours of February 22nd and continued into the mid-morning hours of February 23rd, where highest estimated wind gusts were 45 mph.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused 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 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 2026

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: 1317652, 1317674, 1317676, 1317673, 1317651, 1317653, 1317654.