Winter Storm — Lehigh, Pennsylvania

2007-12-15 to 2007-12-16 · Lehigh, Pennsylvania

Wider weather episode

A strong area of high pressure was anchored over southeastern Canada on December 15th. This high gradually moved eastward during the day, however it wedged itself down into the Mid Atlantic region, which is known as cold air damming. Meanwhile, a storm system became more organized across the Gulf Coast states. This storm tracked northeastward from the 15th to the 16th. As the main storm tracked into Ohio on the 16th, a secondary area of low pressure developed near southern Delaware during that morning. As a result, moisture was lifted up and over colder air trapped at the surface. This produced about 1 to 4 inches of snow and sleet across portions of eastern Pennsylvania, with up to one-half of an inch of ice (from freezing rain). The storm system moved away from the area during the overnight hours of the 16th. A total of 160,000 customers in eastern Pennsylvania lost power during the storm.

Across the southern Poconos, snow and sleet accumulated about 2 to 5 inches before changing to freezing rain. Ice accumulations up to one-half inch were reported across the area. The mixed bag of precipitation created hazardous conditions on the roads, and the weight from the ice brought down some trees and power lines. Interstate 80 was closed in Carbon County between exits 274 and 277 because of downed power lines during the afternoon of the 16th which lasted until about 11 PM EST. Many schools were closed in Carbon County due to the inclement weather. Power was knocked out to about 7 PPL customers in Monroe County.

In the Lehigh Valley and Berks County, a total of 35,000 Met Ed customers lost power and around 2,500 PPL customers were without power. In Northampton County, Met Ed reported outages in Wind Gap and Easton. Of the total Met Ed customers who lost power, 13,500 were still without late on the 16th, 5,100 without during the evening of the 17th, with the last 3,250 customers on the 19th. Due to the widespread power outages in Berks County, shelters were opened in Oley, Sinking Spring and Bernville. The ice made roadways very hazardous. In Lehigh County, a 28-year old man was killed in Upper Macungie Township at 4:00 AM EST on the 16th after his car struck a tree and pole on Newtown Road. In addition, there was a report of a vehicle rollover on Interstate 78 in Williams Township (Northampton County). Businesses were closed on the 16th and some of them opened late. Increasing winds added to the number of fallen trees and resultant power outages. Dozens of downed trees along with power lines were reported across Berks County.

For the northern and western suburbs of Philadelphia, 10,000 PECO customers were without power, with 7,000 of those in Bucks County alone. PPL reported 7,300 customers were without power in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The power was completely restored to all customers by the early evening on the 18th. Trees and power lines were downed across Chester, Montgomery and Bucks Counties with the most damage having occurred in the western/northwestern areas.

While accumulations across eastern Pennsylvania were mostly of sleet, there was some snow mixed in. These amounts include, 4.0 inches in Saylorsburg (Monroe County) and Nesquehoning (Carbon County); 3.0 inches in Albrightsville (Carbon County), Pocono Summit (Monroe County)and Snydersville (Monroe County); 2.1 inches in Marshalls Creek (Northampton County); 1.8 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport and in Williams Township (Northampton County); 1.5 inches in Jim Thorpe (Carbon County) and Nazareth (Northampton County); 1.4 inches in Springtown (Bucks County); 1.2 inches in Martins Creek Northampton County); and 1.0 inch in Hamburg (Berks County) and Whitehall (Lehigh County). Some ice accumulations from freezing rain include, 0.50 of an inch in parts of Carbon County; 0.30 of an inch in Warwick (Bucks County), Slatington (Lehigh County) and Souderton (Montgomery County); 0.25 of an inch in Saylorsburg (Monroe County); 0.20 of an inch in Williams Township (Northampton County) and 0.10 of an inch in Whitehall (Lehigh County) and Berlinsville (Northampton County).

Following this winter storm, ice flying off of moving vehicles was a problem across the region. In the Lehigh Valley, a 47-year old female was injured when ice dislodged from the top of a tractor-trailer and struck her jeep on Route 22 near Schoenersville Road in Bethlehem. At 6 PM EST on the 17th, a female was traveling westbound on Interstate 78 when ice flew off a tractor-trailer and smashed her vehicles windshield. At 6 AM EST on the 17th, a male was traveling eastbound on Route 22 near Route 378 in Bethlehem when ice from a westbound truck flew off and smashed the windshield. In Upper Bern Township (Berks County) at 10:15 PM EST, a 55-year old male was traveling westbound on Interstate 78 and passed a tractor-trailer when ice flew off and broke his windshield. There were several other non-detailed incidents related to flying ice on Interstate 78. At about 12:40 AM on the 17th, a male was traveling eastbound on Route 22 near Allentown when ice flew off a westbound tractor-trailer, damaging his cars hood, grille and windshield. At about that same time, a 19-year old female was driving westbound on Route 22 in South Whitehall Township when ice from a westbound SUV hit her car. At 11:15 AM on the 19th, a 22-year old female and a 25-year old female in East Allen Township were on there way in an ambulance on Route 329 near Airport Road to pick up a sick patient when ice flew off a tractor-trailer striking the ambulance and hitting the driver in the head. The 22-year old driver suffered a concussion and back and neck pain, while the 25-year old passenger suffered cuts.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 69205. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.