Light snowfall hampers start of work week

Winter weather advisory posted through noon today

Snow ceased to fall Monday day after leaving a coating in the morning that closed a number of area schools. The frosty precipitation continued in the afternoon on the cusp of evening rush hour just as school districts that remained open carefully got students home at the end of the day.

The start of the new work week came with the latest bout of snowy weather to hit the area since November, laying a reported. 25 inches of snow from 11 p.m. Sunday through 7 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Some school districts like Chichester, Rose Tree Media and Upper Darby closed for the day Monday due to the weather, but with more snow and icy rain coming Tuesday, they may be enjoying another snow day.

As of Monday afternoon a winter weather advisory was in effect by the National Weather Service through at least noon on Tuesday for a further 1 to 3 inches of snowfall and a light glaze of ice accumulation. Another 2 inches of snow is expected through Tuesday at 7 a.m. when school buses have already left the bus yard to transport kids.

As of Monday evening the Archdiocese of Philadelphia had already announced a two-hour delayed start for Tuesday. KYW had not listed other delayed openings or closures for Delaware County schools, and no calls were made for the 15 public school districts by Monday evening.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday didn’t wait remind the commonwealth that a state of emergency declaration he signed in January is still in effect through Wednesday’s anticipated winter storms.

“I want all Pennsylvanians to be vigilant in traveling safely as winter weather again makes its way across Pennsylvania for much of this afternoon through

early Wednesday,” said the governor in a press release. “The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) has been in contact with state agencies involved in weather-related activities, including PennDOT and local emergency management agencies to make certain we are prepared.”

The emergency declaration allows for increased assistance with storm-related needs and does not restrict people from traveling on commonwealth roadways.

PennDOT announced vehicle prohibitions as of 6 a.m. Tuesday of empty, straight CDL-weighted trucks; all Large Combination Vehicles (double trailers); tractors hauling empty trailers; any trailers pulled by motorcycles, passenger vehicles, pickup trucks or SUVs; all motorcycles; and all recreational vehicles and RVs on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (from I-81 to the New Jersey state line), I-95, I-476 (The Blue Route), I-1476 (Northeast Extension from the mid-county tolls to Lehigh Valley) and I-676 (The Vine Street Expressway).

Delaware County has a number of agencies and services available through its cold weather plan that can help residents through the extreme weather conditions including The County Office of Services for the Aging at 610-490-1300, The County Department of Intercommunity Health at 610-891-5311 and the Lowincome Home Energy Assistance Program at 1-866857-7095. A full list can be found https://www.delcopa.gov/publicrelations/ releases/2018/coldweatherplan.html.

PETE BANNAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Caroline Travis, 10, clears snow from the sidewalk of her parents’ West Chester home Monday morning. Her school was closed for the day so she was making money shoveling then heading out for some sledding in the afternoon.

PETE BANNAN — MEDIANEWS GROUP Maddie Wurster,12, Kayte Lorgus,12 and Masan Scheibe,12, sled at at Everhart Park in West Chester Monday morning following the 3-inch snow fall overnight. The girls had the day off from Peirce Middle School due to the storm. A storm watch was calling for more snow into Tuesday.