Winter Weather — Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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

Event narrative

SNOW SQUALL. Icy and snow-covered roadways allowed for a multi-vehicle accident, involving 7-10 jackknifed tractor trailers and approximately 10 to 15 passenger vehicles on the northbound lane of Interstate 81 near the Jonestown exit. This caused a backlog of traffic for multiple hours, with one individual being transported for treatment.

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 1224817. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.