West Chester, Pa. – Snow is piling up fast across eastern Pennsylvania and parts of northeastern Maryland early Monday, with bursts of 1 to 3 inches per hour cutting visibility to near zero and turning major highways into slow-moving parking lots ahead of the morning commute.
According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Monday for Eastern and Western Chester, Western Montgomery, Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania, along with Kent County, Maryland. An additional 3 to 5 inches is expected in Chester and Montgomery counties, with up to 4 inches across the Lehigh Valley and about 2 inches in Kent County. Wind gusts between 40 and 45 mph will drive blowing and drifting snow and may snap tree limbs.
In Pennsylvania, roads including U.S. 202, Route 422 near Pottstown and I-78 through Allentown and Bethlehem are reporting snow-covered lanes. PennDOT urges drivers to delay non-essential travel and check 511 for live road conditions. Heavy, wet snow is clinging to power lines, increasing the risk of scattered outages from Reading to West Chester.
In Chestertown and across Kent County, gusty winds are lowering visibility on rural roads and along U.S. 301. Officials warn the evening commute may remain hazardous as drifting continues.
Snowfall rates could still top 1 inch per hour into late morning before gradually tapering. Warnings remain in effect until 6 p.m., and additional advisories could follow if bands redevelop.
