Ice Storm in Blair, Pennsylvania

Freezing rain began across lower elevations of Blair County during the mid-morning hours of December 26th and continued through early morning hours of December 27, 2025. Higher elevations of Blair County experienced a brief snow/freezing rain mix at onset with a transition over to freezing rain by the early afternoon hours of December 26th that continued into the early hours of December 27th as precipitation began to taper off west-to-east across the county. Altoona Blair County Airport recorded 0.34 inches of freezing rain accumulation with trained spotter reports north of Altoona reporting 0.30 inches of ice accumulation.

An area of low pressure and shortwave trough stationed across the Midwest in the early morning hours of December 26, 2025 along with surface high pressure east of the region allowed for relatively cold surface temperatures with an elevated pocket of warm air across central Pennsylvania. As the trough moved further east into the region, freezing rain began across the Laurel Highlands, with a snow/sleet mix stationed further southeast where warmer air aloft was not as prevalent. The highest ice accumulations were reported in Cambria County, where 0.40 of ice accumulation was measured in Johnstown. Multiple accidents were reported across the Clearfield, Columbia, Clinton, and Cumberland counties with a total of four patients being transported due to injuries.