Thursday, March 28, 2024
Home » News » Local News » Winter Storm Causes Snow Emergencies, Delays and Closures in Centre County

Winter Storm Causes Snow Emergencies, Delays and Closures in Centre County

Snow began to fall late Sunday afternoon in Centre County and the winter storm has had an impact on travel in the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for southern Centre County through noon on Monday, with 3 to 7 inches of snow in the forecast, a long with “a light glaze” of ice accumulation.

Northern Centre County, including the Philipsburg area, is under a winter storm warning, with NWS forecasting 5 to 9 inches of snow and a light glaze of ice.

As a result of the storm, several Centre Region municipalities are requiring parked vehicles be removed from the street; speed and vehicle restrictions were in place on interstates and state routes; and some delays and closures have been announced for Monday.

Schools

State College, Bellefonte, Penns Valley and Philipsburg-Osceola school districts already had scheduled days off for Monday and Penn State has no classes because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Penn State has canceled on-campus work and activities at University Park from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. Only employees performing essential services should report during that time.

Bald Eagle Area will have a flexible instruction day on Monday.

Snow Emergencies/Parking Restrictions

College Township has declared a snow emergency effective at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Parking is prohibited on all township roads until 48 hours after the storm has ended and the entire road is cleared from curb to curb.

• Ferguson Township reminds residents that once 2 inches of snow accumulates vehicles must be removed from the street or they will be be ticketed or towed.

Harris Township has declared a snow emergency effective at 6 p.m. on Sunday. Vehicles not removed from township streets by 9 p.m. will be ticketed. Street parking is prohibited until 24 hours after the storm ends. Public parking for those without off-street parking options is available in Nittany View, Blue Spring and Yoder Preserve parks. [Update: The snow emergency was lifted at 1:15 p.m. on Monday]

Patton Township has declared a snow emergency effective at 8 p.m. on Sunday. All vehicles must be removed from township streets. Vehicles that remain parked on the street after 8 p.m. will be ticketed. The snow emergency after the snowfall has stopped and township plows have finished clearing roadways.

State College Borough declared a snow emergency at 7:40 p.m. on Sunday. All parked vehicles must be removed from borough roads to allow for the Department of Public Works to clear snow. All parking regulations will be strictly enforced, and no parking permissions will be granted for the duration of the snow emergency. Any vehicle left parked on a public roadway may be ticketed and towed to allow for snow removal. The snow emergency remains in effect until an announcement that it has been lifted.

Residents are reminded to clear all sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours after the storm has ended.

Penn State has issued a Midnight Clear for snow removal on Sunday night and Monday night. Parking will be prohibited at all faculty/staff surface parking lots on campus, including Innovation Park, from midnight Sunday night through 7 a.m. Monday morning and midnight Monday night through 7 a.m. Tuesday morning. The restriction includes university vehicles and applies to all employee work shifts, regardless of reporting time.

The roof levels of all five campus parking decks (East, Eisenhower, HUB, Nittany, West) will remain closed until further notice.

Delays and Closings

• The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority announced that residential trash and recycling collection for customers in College, Ferguson, Harris, Patton and Benner townships will be on a one-day delay this week. No collections will take place on Monday because of the storm, resulting in each collection being pushed back a day.

In Bellefonte, recycling normally picked up on Monday will be collected on Wednesday this week. There is no change to Bellefonte’s trash collection schedule

Schlow Centre Region Library will be closed on Monday.

• All Centre County Library and Historical Museum branches are closed on Monday.

Mount Nittany Health announced that several locations and services will be closed until noon on Monday. They include Mount Nittany Physician Group practices, lab and imaging services at physician group locations, Mount Nittany Health Breast Care Center, Sieg Neuroscience Center, Center for Wound Care, including Diabetes Foot Clinic and Orthotics, Pain Management Program, Cancer Care Partnership, and medical center outpatient programs.

Mount Nittany Health Surgical Center and Mount Nittany Medical Center, including the emergency department, remain open.

• Penn State Health Medical Group State College facilities will be closed for in-person visits until noon on Monday. Patients should contact their healthcare provider for further information.

Centre Volunteers in Medicine will be closed on Monday.

Vehicle and speed restrictions

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission implemented vehicle and speed restrictions on interstates and state routes throughout the commonwealth.

As of 11 a.m. on Monday, vehicle and speed restrictions have been lifted for I-99.

Tier 4 restrictions — meaning no commercial vehicles, buses, motorcycles, RVs/motorhomes and passenger vehicles towing trailers are permitted — remained in effect on I-80 from I-79 to Exit 161 at Bellefonte.

For up-to-date vehicle restrictions on roads statewide, visit 511pa.com/weatherRestrictions.aspx

PennDOT urges motorists to avoid travel during the storm if possible.