Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor declared a state of emergency Monday morning in response to the historic snowfall that blanketed the region over the weekend. And Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato followed suit, declared a countywide disaster emergency, citing the “serious threat” the snow, ice, and extreme cold temperatures pose to residents.
The declarations allow local officials to deploy additional resources for emergency response, such as hiring temporary workers and entering into emergency contracts.
O’Connor said that while main roads in the city have largely been cleared, many side roads still have snow built up. The city’s public works department, which started with 75 trucks on standby and 19 additional trucks with plows and salt spreaders attached on Friday, had 37 trucks go down during Sunday night’s shift, he said.
Declaring a state of emergency allows the city to bring in outside contractors to help clear streets, O’Connor explained.
“ You will be seeing private contractors out in your neighborhoods over the next couple of hours,” he said. “ It’s nothing that the workers weren’t doing. They were doing their very best, but with 37 trucks down, we have no choice but to do this… Safety’s a priority.”
The city’s aging vehicle fleet has been an increasing concern over the past several years: Forty trucks were already out of service as of Friday. City Councilors voted for a tax increase last year in the 2026 budget, saying the additional money would be needed to replace city vehicles. O’Connor said that money to pay the contractors will come from the city’s reserves, but that it is worth spending money for the sake of safety.
“ This is something that we’re not taking any chances on. So if we have to go into our reserves to save lives, we’re doing it,” he said. “ We obviously know about our fleet… Today is about how we get this city clean as fast as we can.”
O’Connor did not have a time frame ready for when the sidelined vehicles would be repaired, but said the city’s garage will remain open 24/7 to work on them. He also did not have a time frame for when side streets would be cleared.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning for Monday night into Tuesday morning; sub-zero wind chills are expected in some parts of the region. That could lead to icy slush and other hazardous conditions.
Because of such threats, the city is prioritizing removing snow quickly, O’Connor said. Acting Public Safety director Sheldon Williams concurred.
“ We’re gonna see some tests of systems, meaning there are going to be citizens who are gonna have plumbing issues, heating issues, and the like,” he said. “And so those repair people would need to get out to make those responses, so we’re trying to get ahead of it, because the test of the system is coming.”
Garbage and recycling pickup will be delayed again on Tuesday, O’Connor said. Warming centers in the city will remain open.
He cautioned people to stay on main roads if they must drive.
“ We know people have to get to work,” he said. “If you have to drive somewhere, please use the main roads. We have cleared them throughout the night.”
County officiails also urged continued caution, even as they touted early success in handling the snowfall.
“It appears most people are heeding the warnings of staying off the road, staying home,” Allegheny County Emergency Services Chief Matthew Brown said at a briefing Monday morning. Brown reported no major surges of 911 calls related to the storm and said dispatchers are dealing with “what we would consider an average day of responses” for sick calls and injuries.
County snowplows have been on the road since the first snowflakes fell early Sunday, said Department of Public Works director Stephen Shanley. Each route of county-maintained roads has been covered “at least 18 times,” he added, and current conditions are “clear and wet or slushy, depending on the location.”
County officials said they’ve received no reports of major issues or crashes on county-maintained roadways. Those streets can be identified online. On weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., residents who wish to report snow, ice and other problems can call (412) 350-4636. Outside of those hours, call 911for emergencies or submit an online form.
Like their colleagues at the city, county officials warned of dangers that include frozen slush when temperatures dip lower.
“Getting all county-maintained roads clear and wet will be a gradual process,” Shanley said.
Brown added that while most major state and municipal roadways are clear, many secondary roads are still in fair to poor condition.
“If residents must drive, we continue encourage them to leave extra time … extra space between their vehicle and our truck drivers — at least six car lengths,” said Shanley.
Across the state, about 600 homes were without power due to the snow storm as of Monday afternoon, said Gov. Josh Shapiro. But in terms of roadway accidents, the governor said there was little to report as he touted the response from plow operators after a visit to a PennDOT salt stockpile just outside Philadelphia.
“PennDOT was busy all across the Commonwealth working incredibly hard. The good news is the public worked with us. They stayed off the roads to give PennDOT an opportunity to get out and clear the roads,” Shapiro said.
Officials weren’t declaring victory just yet, however.
Brown, of Allegheny County, warned that while the worst of the snow may be over, freezing temperatures still present risks like frostbite, which can develop on exposed skin in 30 minutes or less in current conditions.
He and other officials urged caution when shoveling snow or clearing off cars, as the strain has been linked to heart attacks. Brown also suggested residents keep furnace and exhaust vents clear, be on the lookout for blowing and drifting snow, and help neighbors and family members who might not be able to do their own snow removal.
“Today is a good day for recovery” after the storm, Brown said, “but you still need to be safe.”
With the snow behind us, the forecast going forward is for extreme cold.
WESA’s Tom Riese contributed to this story.