If you didn't quite get enough snow Sunday and Monday, Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg says a little more is on the way. "We could get another coating to an inch or so, with one-to-three inches up in the Poconos," Lundberg says. At last check, the official accumulation at Lehigh Valley International Airport is 27.3 inches, which makes it the second-biggest storm in recorded Lehigh Valley history. Only a storm on January 22nd and 23rd in 2016 dumped more snow. That total ended up being 31.7 inches at the airport.
Gov. Tom Wolf is issuing a disaster emergency in response to the huge winter storm that dropped more than two feet of snow in some parts of Pennsylvania, including here in the Lehigh Valley. The disaster declaration allows the commonwealth to use emergency management money for expenses related to the storm.
Several major roads still have restrictions in place today. No commercial vehicles are permitted on the following roads: Route 22 from I-78 to New Jersey; Route 33 from I-78 to I-80; I-80 from I-99 to I-81; the entire length of interstates 78, 81, 83, 84, 283 and 380 and the Northeast Extension from the Lehigh Valley to Clarks Summit exit. Again, no commercial vehicles are allowed on any of those roads until further notice.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is urging residents to stay home while crews work through the aftermath of this big snow storm. Parts of New Jersey picked up more than a foot-and-a-half of snow. As of last night, New Jersey State Police responded to more than 660 car crashes and helped more than 1000 motorists within 24 hours.
A 67-year-old Allentown woman who left home during the snowstorm has been found dead. Patricia Becker walked away from her home in the 400 block of North Lumber Street sometime early Monday morning. Her body was found in the 800 block of North Lumber Street. Becker, who had Alzheimer's disease, died from hypothermia.
Groundhog Day at Gobblers Knob is usually a raucous affair with drinking, dancing and people jammed elbow-to-elbow. This morning, thanks to the pandemic, it was small and subdued and a bit philosophical. "It has felt like at times we're all living the same day over and over again. And while Groundhog Day has come to mean that, Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony ends. The cycle will be broken," one of Punxsutawney Phil's handlers said. With no live crowd to cheer him on, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his cozy home and saw his shadow, meaning another six more weeks of winter.
The superintendent of the Allentown School District is resigning. Thomas Parker has submitted his resignation, effective May 1st. Parker is leaving to take a position in Flint, Michigan at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which describes its mission as promoting a just, equitable and sustainable society. Parker has been the Allentown school superintendent since July 2017.
An error at the Department of State has cost its leader her job. Gov. Tom Wolf says effective Friday Kathy Boockvar is leaving the administration after serving as the secretary of the commonwealth for the past two years. She's out of a job after her department failed to advertise a proposed constitutional amendment that would extend retroactively how long victims have to file civil suits against their abusers. That mistake means the lengthy process will likely have to start from the beginning. The governor's statement did not indicate whether Boockvar resigned or was fired.
Gov. Tom Wolf will make his annual budget address tomorrow. It's being pushed back one day due to the snowstorm that also led to several legislative hearings and sessions being canceled.
Gov Tom Wolf's annual budget address is expected to touch on some familiar themes. Tomorrow, the governor is expected to reintroduce several initiatives that haven't moved over his first six years in office. This year's address will be given by prerecorded video instead of in-person to the joint session of the state House and Senate.
Pennsylvania health officials are adding another 2854 new coronavirus cases in the commonwealth. The state's overall number now stands at more than 846,000 cases. 26 new COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, bring the statewide total to 21,687.
New Jersey's COVID hospitalizations rate has dipped to the lowest the state has seen since the end of November. Monday, the state confirmed 3114 new cases and 34 deaths.