A lake effect snow warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 1:14 p.m. valid from Saturday 7 a.m. until Monday 7 a.m. for Northern Erie and Southern Erie as well as Crawford County.
“Heavy lake effect snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 6 and 14 inches, with the greatest accumulations across southern Erie County. Total accumulations near Lake Erie, including the city of Erie, are expected to be in the 6 to 10 inch range,” explains the weather service. “The heaviest snow will favor Erie County through Saturday afternoon, including I-90 and locations closer to the Lake Erie shoreline. Snow will shift inland into Crawford County late Saturday through early Monday, with lesser accumulations along and north of I-90 during the second portion of the event. Snow rates may reach 1 inch per hour in snow bands late Saturday and Saturday night.”
“Travel could be difficult with periods of sharply reduced visibility and snow covered roads due to lake effect snow,” says the weather service. “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission strongly encourage motorists to heed all travel restrictions and delay unnecessary travel.”
