Winter makes its mark in Kittanning Riverfront Park as a pre-Thanksgiving winter storm passes through Western Pennsylvania.
Local residents shouldn’t have been surprised when they had to scrape snow off their cars this morning.
Because more is on the way.
Starting this afternoon, Western Pennsylvania into northern West Virginia counties are on Winter Storm Warning for widespread snow, sleet and rain chances.
Armstrong County residents are to expect three to five inches of snow alone, and sleet or rain this afternoon before it returns to snow this evening.
As defined by the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, a Winter Storm Warning means that snow, sleet, or ice will make travel hazardous or impossible.
Meteorologists ask residents to supply an emergency kit of snow removal equipment, sufficient heating fuel and adequate clothing to prepare for this evening’s weather where some forecasts predict temperatures in the teens.
The weather already could have been a factor in one accident earlier this morning.
In Plumcreek Township, Armstrong 9-1-1 dispatched firefighters and emergency medical responders to a scene along Route 422 where a truck jackknifed in the middle of the roadway. Another vehicle avoided hitting the truck, but crashed alongside the road.
PennDOT drivers were seen in the area, but some reported they were also having trouble with the slick conditions.
The region is under official alert so far until 1PM tomorrow. Less than 50 miles south, Pittsburghers are anticipating 5-9 inches of snowfall.
About a dozen fatal accidents have already been reported across the United States due to this storm.
More than 30 PennDOT vehicles were inspected at the end of October at the District 10 headquarters on South Water Street in Kittanning, and they all passed inspection for times like this.
County Manager Andrew Firment said then that all equipment was gone over “with a fine-tooth comb” to make sure everything was ready. Trucks are kept at seven different stockpiles throughout the county, with the stockpile in Kittanning Township on Route 422 the largest.