A rather significant snowstorm is expected to arrive by as early as this afternoon, bringing continuous snow that will fall through the night and early Wednesday, before winds pick up.
Drifting snow is possible, warned the National Weather Service, which Monday issued a winter storm watch calling for a snow accumulation for Williamsport and vicinity of 6 to 8 inches, along with winds blowing it around, leading to potentially hazardous driving conditions.
According to NWS meteorologist Aaron Tyburski, the storm is expected to dump up to 8 inches before it tapers off Wednesday afternoon or early in the evening.
The most significant snowfall is expected tonight and early Wednesday morning, he said. A secondary area of low pressure is forecast to develop and rapidly intensify along the Mid-Atlantic coast by early Wednesday morning, producing increasing wind and blowing and drifting snow.
Areas east of Scranton and south toward Philadelphia, which was hammered last weekend with more than 20 inches, may get up to another 15 inches of snow, Tyburski said.
While the sun may peek out Wednesday afternoon, temperatures are expected to be below freezing throughout the school and work week.
The high temperatures each day will be 30 to 32 degrees and the low temperatures of 15 to 20 will continue toward the weekend, Tyburski said.
At the state Department of Transportation, maintenance personnel were preparing Monday for the next round of applying salt and antiskid and plowing highways.
For motorists, PennDOT has a winter services guide on its Web site, with numerous driving tips and survival information. To access the site, go to www.dot.state.pa.us\district3. The link is in the lower right corner, according to PennDOT spokesman Rick Mason.
City Streets and Parks General Manager William Wright said the department personnel were repairing the plows for the trucks and checking maintenance equipment in preparation for the storm.
He, too, is checking the weather forecast in preparation for what to do.
"We do the best job we can," he said.
