Montgomery County Officials Declare County A Natural Disaster Area

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN, PA — Montgomery County officials issued a disaster declaration Wednesday in the wake of Tuesday night’s ice storm that intensified Wednesday morning. By 9:30 p.m., Governor Corbett signed a disaster emergency proclamation. Corbett explained through his Twitter account that the proclamation will assist state and local authorities in responding to the winter storm.

The county’s disaster declaration means that if needed, the county can receive funds from the federal government and the state government. Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro said the declaration of a disaster also allows for the county to bypass the RFP process for items, like blankets, to give to shelters. He said the disaster declaration does not allow the county to purchase more road salt.

He said the county roads are cleared for the most part and crews are on standby to salt the roads as melting snow and ice freezes into the night.

According to Montgomery County Director of Communications Frank Custer, between 4 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday there were 340 electrical fires reported throughout the county, 1,207 road obstructions and 164 vehicle accidents.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20140205/montgomery-county-officials-declare-county-a-natural-disaster-area

Bolaris: Snow Amounts Climbing A Bit

Snow has been falling at rates of 1-2 inches per hour, with some places, such as northern Chester County counting 7 inches as of 11 a.m., and Horsham and Worcester in Montgomery County and West Rockhill Township in Bucks County, counting 6 inches.

Some places in Lehigh Valley are reporting 6 inches, as well.

Closer to the City of Philadelphia, Brookhaven in Delaware County, near the airport, was reporting 3.5 inches as of 10:30 a.m.

Just across the river, as of 11:15 a.m., the rain-snow line has halted, and actually in Haddonfield has changed back to some rain and sleet as that line oscillates around 10 miles south and east of the city.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Bolaris_Snow_amounts_looking_like_4-8_inches.html#4O5Kac2dYdbyZwqk.99

Snowstorm Hits Lancaster County With Up To 7 Inches Of Snow; Dozens Of Crashes Snarl Roads

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lancaster County is getting off to a slow start this morning in the wake of the snowstorm that dropped 6.5 to 7 inches of snow overnight.

In addition, wind chills dipped below zero.

Most local school districts closed, and the Lancaster County Courthouse was opening 2 hours late.

One institution, Ephrata‘s Green Dragon farmer’s market, announced Thursday it was closed Friday.

Millersville University meteorologist Eric Horst, who initially had predicted 2 to 5 inches, upped his forecast to 4 to 7 inches late Thursday. Friday morning, he said most of the county got 6.5 to 7 inches of snow.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/939014_Snowstorm-hits-Lancaster-County-with-up-to-7-inches-of-snow–dozens-of-crashes-snarl-roads.html#ixzz2pMeUtsf8

Digging Out As High, Frigid Winds Settle In

The snow came as forecast Thursday, walloping the area with five to seven inches through the evening and overnight, closing area schools and reducing travel to a crawl on area roads.

PennDOT worked through the night, clearing highways across Pennsylvania as the first winter storm of 2014 ushered in frigid temperatures and strong, bone-chilling winds.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140103/digging-out-as-high-frigid-winds-settle-in

Philly Flower Show Lost $1.2 Million, And Leader Blames TV

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society usually makes about $1 million in profits from the Philadelphia Flower Show.

But not this year.

The 2013 show actually fell short about $1.2 million, not an unprecedented event in its 184-year history but a short-term disaster for the many urban “greening” programs it supports.  PHS president Drew Becher is now scrambling to cut costs – and to raise $1 million for programs and $200,000 for Flower Show expenses from PHS members and an insurance policy.

For all this, he blames local TV and radio stations.

With unusual bluntness, Becher accuses them of “hyping up” a major snowstorm during Flower Show week that never materialized – but led to scores of canceled tour buses and visitors, and the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in ticket and merchandise sales.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20130519_Flower_Show_lost__1_2_million__and_leader_blames_TV.html#Gok7XbSLiFH34U2D.99

Tens Of Thousands Still Without Power In Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties

Here is a list of the latest figures on how many people are still without power in the Allentown, Bethlehem and Reading areas:

31,425 Lehigh County PPL

8,732 Northampton County PPL

1,475 Lehigh County Met Ed

4,608 Northampton County Met Ed

27,060 Berks County Med Ed