Snow up to 5 inches expected in parts of Valley

Spring begins with varied snow accumulation throughout Valley

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The amount of snow accumulation you received today depended on where you live in the Mahoning Valley.

The range is between 2 inches expected for northern Trumbull County and 4 to 5 inches for most of Mahoning County, said a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

“The snow accumulation increases as you go south and could be almost nothing as you go north,” said Tom King, another NWS meteorologist.

The snow started falling Tuesday night and was expected to continue through the late morning today, King said.

Of course, the snow amounts could fluctuate, he said.

The city of Struthers issued a parking ban that began Tuesday night and continues until 6 p.m. today. The city wants cars off the streets so city road crews can clear them of snow.

Spring officially began at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday. The high temperature today is expected to be near 36 degrees, King said.

It will be partly sunny Thursday, but not much warmer with a high near 38 degrees, he said.

The NWS forecast says there’s a chance of snow Saturday night and Monday night.

In anticipation of the snowstorm, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation imposed a series of restrictions across most interstates beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

PennDOT banned empty straight CDL-weighted trucks, tractors hauling double trailers, tractors hauling empty trailers, trailers pulled by passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles on the following roads: Interstate 76 across the state; Interstates 276 and 476, a portion of the mainline Turnpike in Southeastern Pennsylvania and the entire Northeastern Extension; Interstate 176; Interstate 95; Interstate 78; Interstate 80 from the New Jersey line to the junction with Interstate 81; Interstate 81 from the Maryland line to the junction with Interstate 80; Interstate 99; and Interstate 79 from the turnpike to Interstate 80.

The restrictions included a full ban on commercial vehicles on Interstates 83, 84 and 380 along with Interstate 70 from the Maryland line to the turnpike.

Officials said restrictions will remain in place as long as conditions warrant.

Due to weather-related roadway conditions, the Pennsylvania Turnpike temporarily lowered the speed limit on some parts of its system. Speeds were reduced to 45 mph on the east-west mainline (I-70/76) from the New Stanton Interchange (#75) to the Breezewood Interchange (#161).

During a weather emergency, the objective is to keep roads passable, not totally free of snow or ice, according to PennDOT.

Yet another powerful storm also bore down Tuesday on the Northeast, with wind-whipped snow falling in parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

New Jersey coast shore towns positioned bulldozers, front-end loaders and other heavy equipment to deal with beach erosion from a system that could dump up to 18 inches of snow elsewhere.