Not done yet: Late-winter storm socks region with snow, ice

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Pastor Charles H. Zimmerman of the Community Open Door Church on Menoher Boulevard in Westmont blows snow from the church driveway Monday. Todd Berkey

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March 18, 2013

Not done yet: Late-winter storm socks region with snow, ice

Frank Sojak fsojak@tribdem.com The Tribune-Democrat Mon Mar 18, 2013, 11:51 PM EDT

JOHNSTOWN — A ferocious storm with heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, and strong winds dumped between 2 to 4 inches of heavy snow in the most populated areas of the region Monday before moving out.

The highest elevations received between 6 and 12 inches of the snow from the storm, said John Dlugoenski, a meteorologist with AccuWeather, State College.

The storm caused only a handful of minor accidents in Cambria County, Cambria 911 reported.

In Somerset County, 17 traffic accidents were reported, Somerset 911 reported.

In Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, motorists seemed to be driving cautiously, keeping the number of accidents down to a minimum, a township police officer said.

Only two accidents were reported during the daytime and no one was injured in either, he said. In the first, a school bus traveling on Kiem Street in Jerome went off the roadway and into a field. In the second, a motorist slid on an icy patch on Route 403 near Central Elementary School and went into a field, he said.

Pam Kane, a spokeswoman for District 9, PennDOT, said crews were out working around the clock and will continue to do so until the roadways are clear.

The only trouble spot in Cambria or Somerset counties developed during the afternoon on Route 22 East between the Indiana County and Dishong Mountain Road, she said. Because it was snowing so hard, tractor-trailers were getting hung up, she said. The eastbound lanes were shut down briefly until crews could treat the roadway, she said.

“Although we prefer to be looking forward to construction season, we will continue to take care of winter as long as it lasts,” she said.

Dlugoenski said today’s forecast is for another cold day with a high temperature of 36 degrees.

Snow showers and flurries are expected today and could accumulate up to an inch in some places, he said.

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