Record snowfall buries region
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette City workers with the Department of Streets beging clearing snow from city streets on Hepburn Street at the Williamsport Water Authority
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette A farmer uses his tractor and large snow blower to clear his driveway on Rose Valley Road Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Residents on Hepburn Street work on digging out their vehicles following Wednesday night's storm Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Traffic slowly makes it way down West Fourth Strteet after Wednesday's storm dumped 20+ inches on the county Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Jeff Davis of Lyco Micrp, left, and Rick Hannan of Hannan Construction work together as they try to clear the sidewalk in front of their offices on Old Lycoming Creek Road Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Residents on Hepburn Street work on digging out their vehicles following Wednesday night's storm Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette City workers with the Department of Streets beging clearing snow from city streets on Hepburn Street at the Williamsport Water Authority
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette A farmer uses his tractor and large snow blower to clear his driveway on Rose Valley Road Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Residents on Hepburn Street work on digging out their vehicles following Wednesday night's storm Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Traffic slowly makes it way down West Fourth Strteet after Wednesday's storm dumped 20+ inches on the county Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Jeff Davis of Lyco Micrp, left, and Rick Hannan of Hannan Construction work together as they try to clear the sidewalk in front of their offices on Old Lycoming Creek Road Thursday morning.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Residents on Hepburn Street work on digging out their vehicles following Wednesday night's storm Thursday morning.
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Area residents woke up Thursday morning to a white winter wonderland after a storm dumped a record amount of snowfall on Lycoming County.
Only once previously has a two-day storm brought two feet of snow, according to National Weather Service Forecaster Rachel Gutierrez. The first storm occurred in 1964 when 24.1 inches fell. This week's snowfall just barely exceeded that long-standing record, she noted.
The snowfall measured 24.7 inches at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville. Other snowfall figures were 19.8 Inches in Picture Rocks, 21 inches near Jersey Shore and 22 inches in Cogan Station, Gutierrez reported.
The snow-clogged and slippery roads created difficult driving conditions for motorists both days. Gail Kocher, of Hughesville Borough, said the heavy snow kept a three-man municipal street crew there busy Wednesday and Thursday.
"They will probably work till dark," she said Thursday.
Montoursville Mayor Steve Bagwell said borough street workers were doing their best to clear roads of snow.
"I think the guys are doing a good job," he said. "They are getting it done."
Bagwell noted that two feet is "a lot of snow" and residents should be patient if all streets and alleys aren't cleared quite as quickly as they hope.
"The guys do an extraordinary job. They are committed," he added.
The state Department of Transportation reported various road closures.
Interstate 80 was shut down Thursday from the 178/Lock Haven interchange in Clinton County to the I-180 interchange in Northumberland County due to a multi-vehicle crash. Other roads closed due to inclement weather were Route 414 in northwestern Lycoming County as well as White Deer Pike, Valley Road and Dyer Road.
Winner Hardware reported a busy two days from customers purchasing shovels, salt and other items from the store.
"We are getting a lot of calls" Thursday, Bill Clarkson, an employee of the store at 1699 Dewey Ave., Williamsport, said. "I wish I had a truckload of shovels because I'm sold out."
Joanne Barr, of Barr's True Value Hardware Store, Williamsport, said shovels, snowblowers and ice melt were the items selling there.
"Anything to do with snow and cold weather," she said. "The last two days we've been bombarded with customers. We expected it."
Gutierrez said Williamsport received just 2.2 inches of snow last year for the entire month of December.
She noted another storm, although not of the magnitude of this week's weather event, could be coming next week just before Christmas. But for now, it's too early to know how the weather will play out, she added.