Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Snow has played a major role in shaping winter across Pennsylvania this season, with the heaviest impacts focused in the northwest corner of the state near Lake Erie. Repeated lake-effect events and frequent systems have driven sharp contrasts in snowfall totals from north to south since late September.
According to the National Weather Service and NOAA’s National Snowfall Analysis, parts of northwestern Pennsylvania have recorded between 2 and 20 feet of snow since Sept. 30. The highest totals are concentrated in Erie County and inland snowbelt communities, where persistent lake-effect bands have delivered prolonged and intense snowfall.
Erie, Edinboro, Meadville, and surrounding areas in Crawford and Warren counties sit near the upper end of the range, with some locations approaching double-digit feet for the season. Snow has frequently reduced visibility, slowed travel on Interstates 79 and 90, and required repeated plowing on secondary roads.
Central Pennsylvania cities such as State College and Altoona have generally seen lower totals, often in the 2- to 4-foot range so far, while snowfall drops off even more across southeastern Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and the Lehigh Valley have still logged multiple snow events, but seasonal accumulations remain modest compared to the northwest.
PennDOT continues to remind drivers that lake-effect snow can change conditions rapidly, especially near the New York border. With winter still underway, additional snow events could continue to add to seasonal totals, and more advisories may be issued as conditions evolve.
