Winter Storm — Lehigh, Pennsylvania

2016-01-22 to 2016-01-24 · Lehigh, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

Snow began during the late afternoon hours on Friday, January 22nd, and continued through the overnight hours, through Saturday, into Saturday night. Winds gusting over 35 mph late Friday night and Saturday reduced visibilities to under one-quarter mile at times. Lehigh County saw some of highest snowfall totals in eastern Pennsylvania from this event, including 32.0 inches in Center Valley, 31.9 inches at Lehigh Valley International Airport, 27.4 inches in Salisbury Township, and 23.5 inches in Orefield. A total of 30.2 inches of snow fell at the Lehigh Valley International Airport on Saturday, January 23rd, establishing a new record for the date. The previous record daily maximum snowfall for January 23rd was 7.7 inches set in 1966. It was the greatest calendar day snowfall at Allentown, replacing the 24.0 inches that fell on February 11, 1983. The two-day total for this storm was 31.9 inches at Allentown, which is a new record as well. The previous record two-day snowfall total was 25.6 inches set on January 7 and 8, 1996. Allentown's normal seasonal snowfall of 32.9 inches was almost exceeded by this one storm. Also, the liquid equivalent precipitation total at the Lehigh Valley International Airport was 1.65 inches on Saturday, January 23rd, establishing a new record for the date. The previous record daily precipitation total for January 23rd was 1.39 inches set in 1983. A 55 year-old male in Allentown died from being overcome by exhaust fumes while sitting in his car. The exhaust pipe was blocked by snow. He was found and taken to the hospital Sunday morning, January 24th, and died the following Tuesday afternoon A 54 year-old male in Allentown died from a heart attack Saturday night, January 23rd, after shoveling snow. The liquid water equivalent precipitation at the Reading regional Airport was 1.35 inches on Saturday, January 23rd, establishing a new record for the date. The previous record for January 23rd was 1.18 inches set in 1966. Costs for removing snow in Allentown was about $533 K.

Wider weather episode

An impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record snowfall in eastern Pennsylvania from late January 22nd into early January 24th. It then moved out to sea after passing by the mid-Atlantic coast early on January 24th.

Snow began falling during the Friday afternoon commute on January 22nd, then continued, heavy at times, Friday night into early Sunday morning. Wind gusts over 35 MPH produced blizzard conditions as visibilities dropped to one-quarter mile or less in spots. Some representative snowfall totals include: 33.5 inches in Laureldale (Berks County), 30.0 inches in Perkasie (Bucks), 23.0 in Furlong (Bucks), 18 inches near Palmerton (Carbon), 30.1 inches in Malvern (Chester), 22 inches in Bromall (Delaware), 32.0 inches in Center Valley (Lehigh), 17.5 inches in Stroudsburg (Monroe), 31.0 inches in Eagleville (Montgomery), 31.1 inches in Forks Township (Northampton), and 22.3 inches at Fire Station 78 in Philadelphia.

This storm set several new snowfall records at Allentown. A total of 30.2 inches of snow fell at the Lehigh Valley International Airport on the 23rd, establishing a new record for the date. The previous record daily maximum snowfall for January 23rd was 7.7 inches set in 1966. It was the greatest calendar day snowfall at Allentown, replacing the 24.0 inches that fell on February 11, 1983. The two-day total for this storm was 31.9 inches at Allentown, which is a new record as well. The previous record two-day snowfall total was 25.6 inches set on January 7 and 8, 1996. Allentown's normal seasonal snowfall of 32.9 inches was almost exceeded by this one storm. Also, the liquid equivalent precipitation total at the Lehigh Valley International Airport was 1.65 inches on January 23rd, establishing a new record for the date. The previous record daily precipitation total for January 23rd was 1.39 inches set in 1983.

A total of 19.4 inches of snow fell at the Philadelphia International Airport on January 23rd, establishing a new record for the date. The previous record daily maximum snowfall for January 23rd was 11.9 inches set in 1935. It was the 5th greatest calendar day snowfall at Philadelphia with the top spot being held by the 27.6 inches of snow that fell on January 7, 1996. The two-day total for this storm was 22.4 inches at Philadelphia, which is exactly equal to the city's normal snowfall for the entire season. The two-day storm total of 22.4 inches was the 4th greatest on record for Philadelphia dating back to the 1870s. The greatest two-day total on record is 30.7 inches on January 7-8, 1996.

Power outages were minimal during this event, in part due to the strong winds which prevented snow from accumulating on trees and wires, but not so strong as to knock them down. Philadelphia Electric Company reported only 140 customers in the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region without power on Saturday. Numerous stranded vehicles were reported throughout eastern Pennsylvania because of poor driving conditions produced by heavy snow. In Montgomery County alone, more than 300 stranded-vehicle calls came into the 911 center from Friday night into Saturday afternoon. Snow removal costs totaled from $300-500 K in the city of Bethlehem. In Philadelphia, the total cost for snow removal was over $7 million.

Five deaths were reported in eastern Pennsylvania as a result of this blizzard. A 55-year-old Allentown man was found unconscious in his car on Sunday, January 24th after being overcome by exhaust fumes, and died the following Tuesday from related complications. A 54-year-old Allentown man collapsed from a heart attack Saturday night, January 23rd while shoveling snow. A 56-year-old Muhlenburg Township (Berks County) man died from carbon monoxide poisoning after his idling car was buried in snow from a passing plow on Saturday evening, January 24th. An 18-year-old Pottstown (Montgomery County) woman died on Sunday, January 25th after shoveling snow. Finally, an 88-year-old Lower Providence Township (Montgomery County) man died on Saturday, January 24th after shoveling snow.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf declared a State of Emergency on Thursday, January 21st for the duration of the event. Schools and many businesses recessed early on Friday afternoon in anticipation of the storm. Philadelphia International Airport canceled all Saturday flights, and 155 departures and 133 arrivals scheduled for Sunday. Governor Wolf stated the costs to the state were over $55 million and he has requested Federal Disaster Assistance. On March 23, 2016, President Obama declared the following counties federal disaster areas: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia. This declaration makes federal funding available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation and snow assistance for a continuous 480hour period during the storm.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 617358. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.