Winter Weather — Cumberland, Pennsylvania

2025-01-03 to 2025-01-04 · Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

The northbound lane of US Route 15 south of Mechanicsburg was closed at Market Street due to multiple minor vehicles accidents due to icy and snow-covered roadways during the evening hours of January 3, 2025 and into the early morning hours of January 4, 2025. There were also multiple disabled vehicles in the vicinity; however, no injuries were reported.

Wider weather episode

A surface cold front with marginal instability allowed for snow squalls and bands of heavy snow showers to form across central Pennsylvania during the evening hours of January 3, 2025. These snow squalls were exacerbated by road temperatures just above freezing ahead of the squalls, allowing for road temperatures to quickly drop below freezing and flash freeze potential to increase as the event progressed. A pile-up occurred on Interstate 81 in Lebanon County, with one resultant injury reported. Heavy snow bands also caused incidents in Cumberland and Centre Counties, with no injuries reported from these incidents.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1224815. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.