Winter Weather — Clearfield, Pennsylvania

2024-12-12 · Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

SNOW SQUALL. An RWIS sensor on at exit 120 on Interstate 80 indicated a rapid drop in visibility to a quarter of a mile in heavy snow. Road surface temperatures dropped from 34 degrees to 28 degrees during the snow squall. This snow squall resulted in multiple crashes on the westbound lane of Interstate 80 due to snow-covered and icy roadways. These accidents resulted in five injuries with no fatalities reported as a result of the snow squall.

Wider weather episode

A cold frontal passage during the early morning hours of December 12, 2024 provided ample lift in an environment with surface-based instability to spawn snow squalls along Interstate 80 in Clearfield County. Road surface temperatures slightly above freezing prior to the snow squall allowed for flash freeze potential with heavy snow covering roadways in a 5 to 10 minute span prior to sunrise. These snow squalls closed the westbound lane of Interstate 80 between exits 120 and 133 for an extended period of time with multiple incidents with five injuries with no fatalities reported.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1220994. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.