Wolf cautions Pa., to stay vigilant, even as storm fades out

The massive snowstorm that held much of Central and Eastern Pennsylvania captive for nearly a full day may have died down, but the Wolf administration has said the commonwealth isn’t quite out of the woods yet.

Governor Tom Wolf and other state officials did express some relief at a press conference at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency headquarters — despite around two feet of snow in some areas and sporadic power outages, there were no major road closures.

But Wolf noted, the snowfall isn’t the only issue warranting extra caution.

“Winds are going to increase, and also I think we have to be concerned about the cycle of freeze and thawing,” he said. “So we still need to be careful.”

PEMA head Richard Flinn said it could have easily been worse.

“We thank the public who did not travel,” he said, attributing the lack of road closures to smart decisions by motorists.

The snow hit hardest in the midstate and northeast, with the Poconos bearing the brunt of the storm.

Government buildings have remained technically open, though employees were discouraged from working during the height of the storm.

PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards said her agency will continue making roads as passable as they can be.