Snow cleanup underway in Philly region after long drought
Highway agencies around the region are working to remove the snow and ice from the roadways to keep them passable for drivers.
11 months ago
The snow drought in the Philadelphia region finally came to an end after 715 days. (6abc)
This story originally appeared on 6abc.
First it was the snow, now it is the cold and ice. Another AccuWeather Alert is in place Wednesday morning as the Philadelphia region continues to feel a winter blast.
The first measurable amount of snowfall in nearly two years hit the Philadelphia region on Monday night into Tuesday.
After a day of cleaning up, icy roadways remain a concern as temperatures dive Tuesday night.
Temperatures are expected to barely make it out of the teens and the wind chills are making it feel like the single digits.
Conditions outside may seem worse in some areas Wednesday than they did Tuesday morning as the snow turns to ice.
As the snow turned to rain, cars and area roadways were left coated in ice.
“A little sloppy out there, kinda like here with the slush. I think they could have plowed a little better. Looks like they put the salt down instead of plowing,” said Bob Valenteen of Phoenixville.
Scott Cappelli has been mainly focused on driveways, working 10 to 12 hours to keep up with the first real snow in more than 700 days.
“It’s good to have snow, we haven’t had snow in awhile,” he said.
Action News also caught up with a plow truck driver going on very little sleep, who talked about some of the challenges while trying to keep up.
“Man, the freezing rain from earlier and everything freezing back up with these low temps. It’s been a hassle just keeping up with it,” said Josh Banicki, a plow truck driver with JKV Enterprises.
He’s been dealing with icy roads and sidewalks in the Manayunk/Roxborough part of the city.
Banicki says he’s been working hard to clear out the frozen snow and treat parking lots to make sure surfaces aren’t slippery.
“It’s really slick out there, especially on side streets and sidewalks,” he said.
Action News also spoke with a man who knows his way around but narrowly missed falling down.
“Slipped a little bit and was having a hard time rounding the corner, nearly went down. Thankfully I didn’t, especially at my age,” said Stanley Urzendowski, from Manayunk.
Valley Forge was packed with kids Tuesday with parents trying to get them out of the house.
“I hope you’re tired when we go home because I’m ready to relax,” joked Terry Bright of King of Prussia.
Many schools across the Delaware Valley are either closed or operated on a delay Tuesday and Wednesday because of the weather, which meant these kids got to pull out their sleds for the first time in a long time.
“We did all the things for it to snow today. We flushed ice cubes down the toilet, put stuff under our pillow and put pennies on the windowsill,” said Tessa Cappello of Havertown.
But the day wasn’t all fun, it was also filled with cleanup as residents cleared the snow and slush off the roads and cars.
“I made sure I ordered extra salt so I could make sure I got the salt on the sidewalks,” said Anthony Vetrano, the general manager at Brick & Brew.
Businesses operated as usual, doing their part to shovel and salt the sidewalks.
“I shoveled everything out. I just wanted to make it available for people to come,” said Jim Krass, the co-owner of Jaco Juice & Taco Bar.
Stephen Allen, owner of Jacob Low Hardware, says business drops almost 50% in the winter. He relies on these kinds of storms.
“The past four or five years it hasn’t been accumulating snow. It’s a struggle during the winter, but these definitely help,” he said.
When it was all said and done, about 3.3 inches of snow fell in Philadelphia.
South Jersey residents woke up to a coating of snow, and some say it’s about time.
“I miss snow. I like snow. It’s very pretty when it first comes, but after 24-48 hours I’m like it can go away,” said Cindy Reid of Mount Laurel.
The roads were a little slick, resulting in two-hour delays or even closures for some schools.
There were more than 100 cancellations and little over 250 delays Tuesday due to the storm at Philadelphia International Airport.
“We’ve had delays and cancellations all day and they’ve gone up as the day has progressed,” said PHL spokesperson Heather Redfern.
Earlier in the day, a weather-related ground stop halted all incoming flights. By 3 p.m., the FAA lifted the stop, but a ground delay remained in effect for arriving flights until 7 p.m.
Wednesday, the blustery conditions continue to impact air travel in and out of PHL airport. The issue is not just the weather in Philadelphia but conditions in other parts of the country as well.
“When major hubs are hit — Chicago, Dallas, Denver — It has a domino effect on the rest of the country,” said Heather Redfern, with PHL. “So it could take a few days to get back on track. We remind people the weather could be clear here but because it’s been bad somewhere elsewhere, you might have issues getting your flight here and that’s why you always need to stay in touch with your airline.”
PennDOT crews have been out in full force across the region keeping the highways safe.
“We have around 130,000 tons of salt available. We have about 11,000 snow lanes that we are responsible for making sure they are passable for the public,” said Krys Johnson with PennDOT.
Officials are reminding drivers that it has been a while since we’ve seen some snow, so take it slow and leave space and time for stopping and turning.
You want to give yourself more time this morning. Some car batteries will certainly be struggling in the frigid temps. AAA says starting power of a battery drops 35% when temps are below freezing.
If you haven’t filled up yet, it’s also suggested to keep a full tank of gas. AAA says to be sure to check your tire pressure because tires lose air pressure as the temperature drops.
Drivers should double-check or gather supplies for an emergency kit to keep in vehicles in case you end up stranded somewhere. Items you should have in your vehicle include jumper cables, a first aid kit, non-perishable snacks, blankets, flash lights and extra warm clothes. Salt or something coarse, like kitty litter, could also work if you end up getting stuck.
AAA is reminding drivers to clear off their cars entirely, including the roof, hood and trunk. They also suggest keeping a full tank of gas and avoiding any unnecessary road changes.
If you are traveling, check 511 PA before leaving and use 6abc’s traffic map for further updates.
The Philadelphia Streets Department is also offering some reminders about the snow.