The region is spared from record-breaking snowfall

The city of Erie and surrounding areas were hit by a record-breaking snowstorm over the weekend, with nearly six feet of snow falling in some areas.
The storm forced the closure of schools, businesses and roads and prompted the governor to call in the National Guard
The National Weather Service is forecasting additional snow accumulations of 8 to 15 inches for much of Erie County, with up to 20 inches possible in the far northeast corner of the county

When snow falls, the Erie School District relies on its civil engineers to inform administration if conditions are extreme enough to cancel classes for that day. The engineers inspect the school buildings and see how much snow has accumulated around them.

After record-breaking snowfall devastated Erie on Friday, civil engineers didn’t have to do much to realize that the district would have to cancel classes on Tuesday because school was scheduled to resume after the Thanksgiving break.

“Some of the people couldn’t even leave their homes to get to the buildings,” said Erie School District Assistant Superintendent Neal Brokman.

Storm triggers disaster declaration

The situation was repeated at countless homes across Erie County from Friday through Monday.

With more than three feet of snow on the ground – and more still to come, much more – the city of Erie and surrounding areas were in a state of shock and paralysis following the massive maritime storm.

Snow plows struggled to keep up.

Highways were temporarily closed and travel restrictions were put in place.

The governor called in the National Guard.

The mayor of Erie has declared a snow emergency.

The county executive declared “the existence of a disaster emergency in Erie County.”

For many residents, staying at home was the only option. The extreme amount of snow prevented them from doing anything else.

“It’s ridiculous,” Lindy Platz, chairwoman of the Girard Township Board of Supervisors, said Monday. “Personally, I haven’t left my house since Thursday.”

Some areas of Erie County will see nearly six feet of snow

The amount of snow that blanketed the Girard area in western Erie County was enough to give anyone goosebumps: 57½ inches as of 6:12 p.m. Sunday, according to unofficial observations by National Weather Service-trained snow watchers.

Further measurements, all as of Sunday:

Northeast, 50.2 inches, 7 p.m
Northwest Harborcreek Township, 45.2 inches, 8 p.m
East-southeast Erie, 42½ inches, 6:50 p.m
Southwest Wesleyville, 35.9 inches, 9:04 p.m
Northwest Edinboro, 26 inches, 5 p.m
Union City, 17.3 inches, 7 p.m

The most notable statistic was how much snow fell on Friday, the first day of the storm: 22.6 inches of new snow at Erie International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

It’s all but certain that this measurement is more or less the same as the amount of snow that fell elsewhere in Erie County on Friday, but unofficially, 22.6 inches would top Erie’s daily snow record of 21.8 inches set on Dec. 26, 2017 Airport recorded 3½ inches of snow on Saturday and a trace of snow on Sunday.

How much more snow does Erie expect?

Erie, which always seems to be fighting for the spot as one of the snowiest cities in the United States, has a lead this year, according to measurements taken at the airport. According to the National Weather Service, the amount of snow recorded Sunday evening was about 27 inches.

“The average at this point should only be 10.3 inches, so we’re 16.9 inches above yesterday afternoon’s average,” Brian Mitchell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Cleveland, said Monday. “This event really moved things forward.”

Mitchell said the lake effect is in full swing. Warm Lake Erie caused additional snowfall.

“After a lake-effect snowstorm, it really clicked,” Mitchell said. “The wind direction allowed a band of snow to persist over an area. Sometimes there are certain wind patterns that can move the snow band a little bit north or south.”

“We had lake water temperatures in the mid to upper 40s. Initially there was no ice on the lake and the air was cold enough to push it inland and dump snow.”

It’s expected to snow again on Tuesday.

A lake effect snow warning remains in effect for Erie, Crawford and counties to the east and west through Tuesday night. According to the National Weather Service, meteorologists are forecasting additional accumulations of 8 to 15 inches for much of Erie County, with up to 20 inches possible in the far northeast corner of the county.

How much more snow will there be?

“It will depend on where the band decides to locate,” Mitchell said. “Away from the lake (Monday), snow showers will continue into Tuesday night. Some of the lake effect will subside as we get closer (Tuesday).

“(There is) just a general storm system moving into Wednesday. Snow is forecast through the end of the week, with decreasing chances and not as severe as last week. The snow will still stay and add up.”

Snow-covered cars are a headache for the city of Erie

As residents looked to the sky Monday for more snow, they also focused on what was already on the ground.

In the city of Erie, where cars are allowed to park on most residential streets, police scrambled to contact residents whose snow-covered cars were blocking the street and preventing snow plows from getting through.

As of Monday morning, plows could not be used on 92 streets, Erie Police Chief Dan Spizarny said.

He said two dozen police officers were out Monday morning notifying residents who needed to move their vehicles. He said the city would tow vehicles if no owner could be found.

“That’s why it’s important that people heed the warning to stay at home and not travel,” said Spizarny. “Especially if your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you don’t have winter tires or you’re driving with broken tires. You will have no traction and end up being the person blocking a road.”

“A lot of snow in a short time”

When the snow blocked residents who needed to get to work — nurses and other medical staff, for example — help was available.

Erie County Executive Brenton Davis said the Pennsylvania National Guard helped with debris and recovery efforts, providing light troop carriers to help evacuate people from debris sites. The National Guard also transported essential health care workers to help staff hospitals, Davis said.

As for the coming days, “The county is working with other counties and other communities,” Davis said at a news conference Sunday.

“We got plows from Franklin, plows from all over the state, to Ohio and Jamestown,” Davis said. “We will continue to draw on these resources, but also create a reserve list. So once we meet the needs here, we will have that in case this storm builds up very quickly and becomes uncontrollable, this time we will have the resources on site.

“So I think we are very well positioned to handle whatever comes. At this point it’s a management game.”

On Monday, Davis monitored the storm’s fury across Erie County while answering interview requests from national media outlets for their reports on the snow.

“It’s snowing a lot in a short period of time,” Davis told the Erie Times-News. “It’s 100% a one-off event. At least you hope so.”

“I don’t want to do this all winter, I can tell you that.”

In Girard Parish, which is on track to see 1.5 meters of snow, Platz said the parish’s five snow plows did their best.

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The region is spared from record-breaking snowfall

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