Winter Weather — Elk, Pennsylvania

2025-01-29 · Elk, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

SNOW SQUALL. A snow squall moving through Elk County on January 29, 2025 dropped visibility to 1/4 mile at the St Mary's Airport in moderate to heavy snow. The squall also produced a 35 mph wind gust at the airport.

Wider weather episode

During the early morning hours of January 29, 2025, a potent Arctic Front began dropping southeast into Pennsylvania and became collocated with the left exit region of a strong upper-level jet. These factors, coupled with marginal surface-based instability, allowed for heavier snow showers and snow squalls to form by mid-morning. Dynamics and sufficient lift were most favorable in the northern half of the Commonwealth, thus snow squall potential dropped fairly rapidly south of the Interstate 80 corridor. Multiple snow squalls were observed; however, no injuries and/or fatalities were observed due to traffic accidents in snow squalls. Gusty winds ahead of the cold frontal passage knocked over multiple trees into wires in Perry County, closing West Main Street for a period of time.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1228627. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.