Posted on 01/23/2016 4:02:34 PM PST by tcrlaf
A messy portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike has been shut down do to snowy conditions, and several groups are rushing in to help.
The Turnpike is closed in both directions between the Breezewood exit and the New Stanton exit so that crews can clear the roads. Additionally, all commercial vehicles are banned between the New Stanton exit and the Delaware River Bridge, and on the Northeastern Extension between the Mid County exit and the Pocono exit.
There are a number of vehicles stuck on the closed section of the Turnpike, and the National Guard has been called in to help.
According to a release from the governor’s office, multiple trucks and tractor trailers had trouble making it up a hill in the westbound lane of the Turnpike, causing traffic to back up and preventing emergency crews from reaching the disabled vehicles and clearing snow.
Turnpike officials say crews have taken fuel and rations to travelers who have been stuck since Friday evening, and the Western Pennsylvania Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services was working to send 4,000 meals as of 3 p.m. Saturday.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburgh.cbslocal.com ...
The Allegheny Tunnel is about 100 miles from Pittsburgh. Very far from the City.
My daughter is a meteorology major at a large university, and she explained that forecasting snow totals is very very difficult. It requires complicated calculus calculations at each level of the atmosphere. They really do the best they can.
Can't say they weren't warned........
With that being said, I've ventured out in severe winter conditions when I shouldn't have and was lucky to get to my destination and back. I could just as easy have been one of them.........
When things get real bad here in the Midwest snowmobilers help out.
I know! My wx is determined by the “Allegheny Plateau” which either BLOCKS snow systems or ENHANCES them. Up until last night, we were to get 1-3 TOTAL. The system pushed further north and we got blasted here. But about 35 miles from my house, relatives who live in the “North Hills” of Pittsburgh had about an inch. The cut off line was that distinct.
Weren’t people warned to stay off the road?
Weren’t people warned to stay off the road?
The Pa Turnpike is a limited access road (toll road). The entry points are toll plazas, in some cases 30’plus miles apart. There are very few emergency access points...and if you look at the Mass photos, the roadbed is surrounded by hilly terrain and roadway lined by guardrail of jersey barriers. Not snow mobile friendly at all. People don’t understand how mountainous Pa is.
Except for fire trails through the mountains, “open country” in PA is not passable as it is in the Midwest. I could probably go completely unobstructed from KC to Minneapolis, or Chicago to Fort Collins on a snowmobile. Can’t do that here. Once you’re into the mountains, the ridges go endlessly from Southwest to Northeast. Trying to go (largely) due east or west (as the turnpike does), or due north or south is not realistic for any serious distance.
Yes, we can.
They weren't warned. NOAA/NWS completely missed the forecast for almost all of PA.
The terrain around the area is too steep for effective snowmobile operations, and in some areas you would have to traverse long distances to get to the PA Turnpike from nearby towns.
Also, unlike a lot of other interstates the PA Turnpike still has a lot of two lane sections, so once it gets jammed up it is harder to clear it and get traffic moving again.
I don't want to turn this into a pissing contest so I'll just offer up that those folks knew something was coming down the pike....I'll leave it at that.
22” here in Johnstown
The initial forecast here yesterday morning was 6" to 10"
I wonder how many took the alternate Route US 30.
Up and down the mountains.
In South Central and Southeast some of the plow trucks ended up in the ditch because they lost the road.
30+” in areas of Lehigh Valley.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.