More than a foot of snow fell in some parts of Bucks and Montgomery counties during a a slow-moving nor'easter that lingered into Tuesday afternoon.
Central and Upper Bucks County bore the brunt of the storm. According to the National Weather Service, a whopping 31 inches was reported for storm observers in Springfield Township. Fifteen inches was reported inTrumbauersville, 14 in West Rockhill and nearly 13 in Sellersville.
Lower Bucks topped out at about 10 inches of snow in Warminster, Langhorne, Yardley,Bensalemand Feasterville-Trevose. Residents in Lower Makefield, New Hope and Newtown woke up to about 7 inches of snow, according to weather service reports.
In Montgomery County, snow totals ranged from more than a foot in King of Prussia to about 9 inches in Lower Moreland.
The Lehigh Valley took a real hit by Mother Nature, with more than two feet of snow reported in areas of Northampton and Lehigh counties.
Another 1-3 inches of snow fell through Tuesday afternoon.
Snow day fun
Meghan Kelly dug out her car from her Doylestown Borough driveway while her two young children played in a snow pile out in front.
Her oldest broke his ankle, and was disappointed he could not join in. She wrapped the cast in a bag so he could carefully play.
“We’re finally having some fun,” she said. She remarked that her children were happy the snow was “snowman-making” snow.
Kelly said she was thankful that she has good neighbors who helped her shovel her driveway.
Down the street, Peyton Brown was shoveling out his driveway and sidewalk. Brown said he hunkered down during the storm, and didn’t come out to shovel until the storm had largely passed.
“I’m a one-shovel guy,” he said.
Brown said he moved to the area from the South many years ago, and enjoys the snow. He noted it was the first big storm in some time.
Brown said he really liked seeing the sun come through following a snowstorm. “This is beautiful,” he said. “I love snow.”
Amy Schmidt was almost done digging out her driveway from her home near the county courthouse. She said she had been shoveling periodically throughout the storm, partially to clear a spot for her dog,a corgi.
“I’m not loving this part of it,” she said of the shoveling.
Schmidt said she was prepared for the storm, and did all of her shopping beforehand and settled down for the storm. “We knew it was coming,” she said.
More snow ahead?
Wednesday and Thursday will see slightly warmer temperatures in the 30s, according to Brian Haines, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Westampton, New Jersey. While snow is expected to end Tuesday, the regionwill likely see it again later in the week.
Haines said there are two systems expected to impact the area. One will start with snow and likely transition to rain or sleet Friday morning, he said.
Another system could possibly bring snow Sunday, but Haines said there is a lot of uncertainty in the extended forecast.
What forecasters are more certain about, he said, is that Monday and Tuesday next week will be very cold.Temperatures could reach the single digits at times, he said.
Currently, the weather service is anticipating a high of 22 for Monday.
“It’ll probably be some of the coldest temps we’ve seen this season," he said.
Haines urged caution when driving in the area Tuesday, adding that the road crews are still clearing the snow from the storm.
“It’s still snowing out there. If you don’t have to travel, don’t," he said. "Stay inside if you can.”
Another sign that winter shows no sign of easing:Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Tuesday morning, predicting six more weeks of cold.
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While utility companies feared power outages due to the snow and high winds, neither PECO nor PPL reported widespread outages Tuesday.
PennDOT restored speed limits to area roadways early Tuesday afternoon.
The first round of the nor'easter began Sunday afternoon in much of the region. The light snow in the afternoon gave way to periods of steady and heavier snow into the evening. Overnight the snow slowed and stopped, as meteorologists forecasted, then picked up again Monday.
Montgomery County offices were closed Tuesday. Bucks County offices were opening two hours late, and court hearings were to be rescheduled.
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Some school districts were having students log on for remote learning, while others were off for a traditional snow day. Many municipalities also issued snow emergencies, which required residents to remove vehicles from local streets and take other precautions.
The nor'easter hadthe potential to produce snow totals unseen in Bucks County in several years, Dean Iovino, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Westampton, New Jersey, said Monday.
“The last fairly big storm comparable to this was about five years ago in January 2016,” he said.That storm dumped roughly 2 feet of snow on the area.
