HARRISBURG, Pa. — With a winter storm headed our way, Governor Tom Wolf urged Pennsylvanians on Sunday to be aware of their local forecasts and prepare for the possible hazards that may come with it.
“This storm will bring a variety of hazards to the state, meaning that conditions can change quickly,” said Gov. Wolf. “If you absolutely must travel, make sure you know what weather you might encounter all along your travel route. State agencies are on standby to support the commonwealth during this storm.”
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency will increase staffing at 3 p.m. on Sunday with support from PA Turnpike Commission, PennDOT, PA State Police, and PA National Guard.
PEMA personnel will work with county emergency management partners to monitor the storm and any unmet needs and provide state resources as needed.
“PennDOT crews work before and throughout the storm to keep roads safe and passable, but they will not be completely free of snow while precipitation is falling,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Please, avoid unnecessary travel and if you must travel, reduce speeds and be aware of changing weather conditions.”
“While this December was fairly mild, January has already roared in like a lion,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “This will be the third major, statewide weather event in less than two weeks, and If this storm rolls out as currently predicted, motorists are strongly urged to wait until it has subsided to begin their travel.”
“The Pennsylvania State Police urges Pennsylvanians to only travel during the winter storm if absolutely necessary. If you must travel, be sure to carry appropriate supplies in the event you become disabled or stopped in traffic for an extended period,” said Pennsylvania State Police Major Robert Krol, Director of the Bureau of Patrol.
To help make decisions regarding winter travel, motorists are encouraged to “Know Before You Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com.
Users can also see plow truck statuses and travel alerts along a specific route using the “Check My Route” tool.
Check out severe weather tips on WNEP’s YouTube channel.