The National Weather Service declared a blizzard warning for Northern Erie and Southern Erie on Wednesday at 9:20 p.m., which would last until Saturday at 1 a.m.
“Blizzard weather. Ten to eighteen inches of snow accumulated north of I-90, rising to twelve to twenty inches, with locally greater amounts south of I-90. The weather service predicts wind gusts of up to 60 mph north of I-90 and up to 50 mph south of I-90, mostly on Thursday mornings. Tonight, an Arctic front will move across the area, bringing with it a band of heavier snow. The weather will rapidly deteriorate, with visibility of less than a quarter mile, wind gusts of up to fifty miles per hour, and a swift inch or two of snow. With the start of this winter event, travel around the region may soon become challenging. From late tonight until midday on Thursday, the highest winds and blizzard conditions are predicted. As wind gusts gradually decrease, lake effect snow bands will form Thursday afternoon and remain the primary worry for the remainder of the storm through Friday. Structures in Northwest Pennsylvania may sustain damage due to the high snowfall density and severe winds.
“Due to falling and blowing snow, visibility will plummet below 1/4 mile. Snow is likely to drift significantly, even across some roads. Power outages and damaged trees could result from the severe winds. Travel will be dangerous and maybe fatal due to the anticipated whiteout conditions. Travel should be postponed as it is anticipated to be impossible late tonight and Thursday. The weather service reports that Thursday morning and evening commutes would be affected by the dangerous circumstances. “Only emergencies should require travel. Bring a winter survival kit if you have to travel. Keep your car if you become stranded. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation strongly advise drivers to observe all traffic laws and postpone needless travel. People ought to think about postponing all of their travel. If a driver must travel, they should exercise extreme caution.
What to do during a blizzard warning
The weather service issues blizzard warnings when there are frequent gusts of 35 mph or more, falling and/or blowing snow, and visibility is regularly reduced to less than 1/4 mile for three hours or longer. A blizzard warning indicates the possibility or occurrence of severe winter weather. Strong gusts and poor visibility combined with falling and blowing snow are likely to cause whiteout conditions, which would make travel very challenging. Avoid traveling. Bring a winter survival kit if you have to travel. Remain in your car and wait for assistance if you become stranded.
United Robots offers a service called Advance Local Weather Alerts that gathers the most recent information from the National Weather Service using machine learning.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!