Governor signs proclamation of disaster emergency

HERE IS THE LATEST ON THE WEEKEND STORM ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. AND THE EXTREMELY INTENSE COLD THAT’S GOING TO BE MOVING ON IN LATER THIS EVENING. AND TONIGHT, WE’LL HAVE THE DETAILS ON BOTH BIG IMPACTS FOR THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY COMING UP. WHEN WILL THE ROADS BE CLEAR? DURING THE WINTER STORM. HOW YOU CAN TRACK PENNDOT PLOW TRUCKS IN REAL TIME. TENSIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS ON STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS. I’M RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER IN WASHINGTON WITH THE RESPONSE BY THE MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR. AS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND PROTESTS RAMP UP, WGAL NEWS EIGHT AT NOON STARTS NOW. GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M SUSAN SHAPIRO A WINTER SNOWSTORM IS HEADED TO THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THIS WEEKEND. METEOROLOGIST ETHAN HUSTON IS HERE WITH THE LATEST ON THE FORECAST. ETHAN. YES, SUSAN. THIS LOOKS LIKE A BIG ONE FOR US HERE IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. LIKELY THE BIGGEST STORM THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. AND ALSO, IT’S GOING TO BE STICKING AROUND FOR ROUGHLY ABOUT TWO DAYS IN THE EFFECTS OF THE STORM ARE GOING TO BE FELT ON INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. FIRST COMES THE INTENSE CHILL THAT GETS HERE LATER TONIGHT. SNOW IS LIKELY THROUGHOUT ALL OF SLEET TRYING TO MIX IN. AND THEN THE SNOW TAPERS OFF ON INTO MONDAY WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE INTENSE CHILL THAT’S COMING IN TONIGHT. 36 RIGHT NOW IN HARRISBURG, 35 IN LANCASTER AND ALSO IN HANOVER. BUT THE FEELS LIKE IT’S ALREADY DOWN TO THE TEENS IN LEWISTOWN AND 20. BUT LOOK AT THOSE. FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURES OFF TO OUR NORTHWEST. FEELS LIKE IT’S EIGHT BELOW ALREADY IN ERIE, NINE BELOW IN BRADFORD. SO THAT’S THE COLDER AIR MOVING IN AFTER SUNSET. NOTICE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN THERE WITH THE TEMPERATURES FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURES GOING BELOW BELOW ZERO. BY THE TIME WE GET CLOSER TO 9 TO 10:00 THIS EVENING. NOW AS WE GO ON INTO THE WEEKEND, HERE COMES THE SNOW. I DO BELIEVE MOST OF SATURDAY IS GOING TO BE DRY ONCE WE GET CLOSER TO ABOUT 11:00. SATURDAY EVENING, SNOW STARTS CROSSING OVER NORTH OF THE MARYLAND LINE AND THEN IT BECOMES WIDESPREAD. BY THE TIME WE MAKE IT TO DAWN, WE’LL HAVE A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND ON SUNDAY MORNING, BUT THEN THE SNOW RAMPS UP IN INTENSITY THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. ON INTO SUNDAY AFTERNOON, POSSIBLY EXCEEDING ONE INCH PER HOUR RATES. I DO BELIEVE AS WE GET CLOSER TO SUNSET, SOME SLEET MAY MIX IN FOR AREAS SOUTH OF 30 ACROSS PARTS OF ADAMS, YORK, LANCASTER AND CHESTER COUNTIES. BUT REMEMBER, THAT’S AFTER AT LEAST 18 HOURS OF SNOW. SO HOW MUCH SNOW FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY? WE’RE LOOKING AT 12 TO 18IN FOR THE FORECAST. YOU SEE THAT DASHED LINE ALONG ROUTE 30? THERE COULD BE SOME SLEET MIXING IN WITH THAT STARTING LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY NIGHT, BUT THAT’S AFTER SOME AREAS OF PARTS OF YORK AND LANCASTER COUNTY ALREADY RECEIVE MORE THAN EIGHT INCHES OF SNOW. IN THE WAKE OF THE STORM, THE ARCTIC CHILL WILL REMAIN AND BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL BECOME A PROBLEM ON MONDAY. AND THEN WE’RE TALKING SUBZERO WIND CHILLS A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGAIN NEXT WEEK. I’LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ETHAN. AND YOU CAN TRACK PENNDOT PLOWS IN REAL TIME. JUST GO TO 511 PA.COM, PULL UP THE MAP, THEN CLICK ON THE TRACK MY PLOW TAB ON THE MENU ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AND YOU CAN THEN ZOOM IN AND CLICK A PLOW ICON TO FIND A TRUCK NEAR YOU. PENNDOT HAS MORE THAN 2000 TRUCKS ACROSS THE STATE. IT SAYS. THE TRACKING FEATURE ALSO ALLOWS IT TO FIND THE CLOSEST PLOW TO AN AREA THAT MAY NEED TO BE CLEARED. THE NEWS 8 TODAY TEAM WILL HAVE YOU COVERED FOR THE STORM. WE WILL HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE AT SIX AND NINE AND 11 SUNDAY MORNING. WE’LL ALSO HAVE LIVE STREAM A SPECIAL NEWSCAST AT NOON AT WGAL.COM AND ON VERY LOCAL PENNSYLVANIA IS PREPARING FOR THE WINTER STORM. SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION LEADERS WILL GIVE THEIR LATEST OUTLOOK ON THE STORM IN JUST ABOUT AN HOUR. EIGHT ON YOUR SIDE POLITICAL REPORTER TOM LEHMAN IS LIVE AT THE PENNSYLVANIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HEADQUARTERS IN DAUPHIN COUNTY, WITH A PREVIEW. TOM. I ACTUALLY JUST SPOKE WITH SOMEBODY FROM PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE, HE SAYS. AT THIS POINT, THE DRIVING RESTRICTIONS, POSSIBLE SPEED RESTRICTIONS BEING DISCUSSED, WE DON’T KNOW IF WE’RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT IN AN HOUR, NECESSARILY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO START TO GET IN A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. AS FAR AS HOW PENNSYLVANIA IS PLANNING TO RESPOND TO THIS STORM AS WE APPROACH IT THIS WEEKEND, WE’RE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM PEMA, AS WELL AS PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE TURNPIKE ASSOCIATION IS ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY ARE GETTING READY TO TRY TO POTENTIALLY LIMIT SOME OF THE IMPACT OF TRAVEL. A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE BIG STORMS LIKE THIS. THERE ARE DRIVING RESTRICTIONS PUT INTO PLACE, SPEED RESTRICTIONS AS WELL ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS LIKE THE TURNPIKE, LIKE INTERSTATES IN OUR AREA, LIKE 81 AND 83. WE ARE ALSO EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM DIRECTOR OF PEMA, RANDY PADFIELD, ABOUT SOME OF THE PRECAUTIONS. HE SAYS PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE ONE OF THE BIG POINTS THAT HE FREQUENTLY MAKES IS THAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE OUT ON THE ROADWAY, IF YOU’RE NOT AN ESSENTIAL WORKER LIKE A NURSE OR A FIRST RESPONDER, YOU REALLY OUGHT TO STAY HOME. HUNKER DOWN. DURING THIS STORM. ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WHY IS BECAUSE IF YOU DO GET STUCK SOMEWHERE AND YOU NEED TO BE RESCUED, NOT ONLY ARE YOU PUTTING YOURSELF AT RISK, YOU’RE ALSO PUTTING FIRST RESPONDERS AT RISK WHO HAVE TO COME AND HELP YOU. WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS GROUP OF FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS THIS COMMONWEALTH THAT DO SOME GREAT WORK. THE GOAL IS IF THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE OUT IN THE WEATHER, IS LET’S NOT PUT THEM IN THAT SITUATION AND MAKE SURE WE RESERVE THEM FOR SITUATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED. NOW WE ARE EXPECTED TO HEAR A LOT MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE FORECAST AS FAR AS WHAT PEMA IS PLANNING FOR THIS PARTICULAR STORM. COMING UP AT 1:00, YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THAT PRESS CONFERENCE HERE ON WGAL AND WGAL.COM. BUT FOR NOW, HERE IN SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, TOM LEHMAN G. NEWS EIGHT. FIREFIGHTERS HAVE SOME ADVICE TO HELP YOU STAY SAFE IN THE STORM. NEWS EIGHT’S GABRIELLE THOMAS HAS MORE ON THAT STORY FROM THE MOUNTVILLE FIRE COMPANY. EMERGENCIES ARE UNPREDICTABLE, BUT FIREFIGHTERS HERE AT MOUNTVILLE FIRE COMPANY ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND, AND ANY TYPE OF WEATHER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WANT YOU TO DO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GET TO YOU IS TO CLEAR OUT A PATHWAY TO GET TO A FIRE HYDRANT. AND I HAVE PEDIATRA VALLEY HERE. JOINING ME TO EXPLAIN WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO CLEAR OUT A PATHWAY JUST SO YOU ALL CAN REACH THAT FIRE HYDRANT? SO THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT IN AN EMERGENCY, SECONDS COUNT. SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THAT FIRE HYDRANT IS AND THEN BE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL AROUND IT. SO THE WAY YOU TURN IT ON AND OFF IS WITH THIS THING, A FIRE HYDRANT WRENCH. THIS SCREWS RIGHT ONTO THE TOP. IT TIGHTENS DOWN ONTO THE NUT. AND THEN WE NEED TO PUSH IT ALL THE WAY AROUND. NOW THE CRAZY THING IS, IS THAT SOMETIMES THEY’RE REALLY STIFF. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE CHEATER BARS THAT SLIDE RIGHT OVER THE HANDLE. NOW WE’RE OUT. WE’VE GOT MORE LEVERAGE, BUT WE ALSO NEED A MUCH BIGGER SPACE. SO YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST THREE FEET ALL THE WAY AROUND THE FIRE HYDRANT TO BE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY TURN IT ON AND OFF. OF COURSE, THAT ALSO HELPS US HOOK UP ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HOOK UP THE VALVES, THE GATE VALVES, THE HOSE, ALL OF THAT STUFF NEEDS TO CONNECT TO THAT TOO. SO GIVING US THAT SPACE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NOW, PETER, IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM JUST IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. WHAT’S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A WORKING SMOKE ALARM? SO THERE’S DIFFERENT TYPES OF SMOKE ALARMS. THERE’S ONES THAT YOU CAN HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE. OF COURSE. JUST LIKE THIS GUY HERE. THEN YOU ALSO HAVE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS. THOSE ARE ALSO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW DURING THE COLD, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE USING HEATERS, SPACE HEATERS. OF COURSE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE SNOW THAT’S GOING TO START PILING UP AGAINST THE SIDE OF YOUR HOUSE. THE CO DETECTORS, IN COMBINATION WITH SMOKE DETECTORS WILL GIVE YOU THOSE EXTRA KIND OF EXTRA COUPLE OF MINUTES TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE SAFELY. IF THERE IS AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY ESCAPE PLAN JUST IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY? MAKING SURE THAT YOUR FAMILY KNOWS, ESPECIALLY YOUR KIDS, KNOW THAT IT IS OKAY IF THERE’S A TRUE EMERGENCY TO OPEN UP THE WINDOW, KNOCK OUT THAT SCREEN AND GO OUT THAT WINDOW, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THAT AND MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE FOR DOING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. ALSO, JUST NOW’S THE TIME. GO THROUGH IT WITH THEM. MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THEY CAN GO OUT A WINDOW. THERE’S ALSO A DOOR TWO WAYS OUT OF EVERY SINGLE ROOM IS ALWAYS THE BEST THING TO DO. PETER. THANK YOU. WELL, IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO JUST STAY READY RATHER THAN GET READY IF AND WHEN THAT EMERGENCY DOES HAPPEN. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PREPARING OR GETTING AHEAD OF THE STORM, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE WGAL.COM. REPORTING HERE IN MOUNTVILLE, LANCASTER COUNTY. I’M GABRIELLE THOMAS, WGAL NEWS EIGHT. BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE WGAL APP TO STAY WITH NEWS EIGHT AND OUR STORM TEAM ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, AND TURN ON THOSE PUSH ALERTS TO GET WEATHER ALERTS NEAR YOU. NEW AT NOON LANCASTER POLICE SAY A WOMAN WHO WAS REPORTED MISSING HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE. VIOLET WHITE HAD BEEN MISSING SINCE LAST NIGHT. A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS IN MINNESOTA IS URGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO STAY AWAY FROM WORK, SCHOOL AND STORES TODAY TO PROTEST IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN THE STATE. VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE WAS IN MINNEAPOLIS YESTERDAY WHERE HE URGED THEM TO COOL THE TEMPERATURE AND COOPERATE. NEWS EIGHT’S RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER HAS MORE FROM OUR WASHINGTON BUREAU. VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE IS BLAMING THE FAR LEFT FOR THE CHAOS THAT IS UNFOLDING ON THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS. HE’S ALSO TELLING STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS TO LET FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS DO THEIR JOB. THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I LEARNED TODAY IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO FACILITATE REASONABLE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW, BUT ALSO TO LOWER THE CHAOS IN MINNEAPOLIS, WOULD BE FOR STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS TO COOPERATE. TENSIONS HAVE BEEN RISING AFTER AN ICE AGENT FATALLY SHOT A WOMAN IN MINNEAPOLIS. NEW VIDEOS AND IMAGES CIRCULATING SHOW IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS USING AGGRESSIVE TACTICS. NOW, EARLIER THIS WEEK, ICE AGENTS DETAINED A FIVE-YEAR-OLD BOY AS HE WAS ARRIVING HOME FROM PRESCHOOL ALONG WITH HIS FATHER. THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN A TEXAS DETENTION CENTER. MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR JACOB FREY IS ACCUSING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OF BEING MORE FOCUSED ON TERRORIZING PEOPLE THAN MAINTAINING SAFETY. PEACE IS NOT SPRAYING IRRITANTS AND CHEMICALS AT PEACEFUL PROTESTERS. IT’S NOT DETAINING A FIVE YEAR OLD. IT’S NOT DRAGGING A PREGNANT WOMAN THROUGH THE STREETS. YOU ACHIEVE PEACE BY WORKING DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITIES. THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAY

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has declared a disaster emergency as a major winter storm heads for the commonwealth.”Our teams at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) have been working to prepare to support Pennsylvanians as this winter storm impacts our Commonwealth,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Today, I signed a disaster declaration for the entire Commonwealth to ensure our agencies have all necessary resources ready to go. Stay off the roads if you can, be safe, and follow instructions from PEMA and your local authorities.”The disaster emergency declaration streamlines the commonwealth’s operational structure, freeing up funding, removing spending obstacles and generally allowing for a quicker response to an emergency. The declaration does NOT mean that people are not allowed to travel. However, people should still exercise caution during severe weather. Drivers should observe any speed limit restrictions, vehicle restrictions or road closures enacted by authorities. The declaration also does NOT mean businesses have to close. Disaster emergency powersThe governor’s disaster emergency powers come from Article IV, Section 20 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Declaring a general disaster emergency authorizes and directs the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director to assume command and control of all statewide emergency operations. All Commonwealth departments and agencies, under the direction of the PEMA Director are directed to use all available powers, resources and personnel as deemed necessary to deal with the relevant emergency.In Pennsylvania, disaster emergencies cannot be in effect for more than 21 days unless it’s extended by the General Assembly. If a disaster emergency expires, the governor is not allowed to issue a new declaration based on the same, or substantially same, facts and circumstances unless the General Assembly approves it.Shapiro has issued disaster emergencies previously, including one in August of 2024 for flooding brought about by Tropical Storm Debby and in October of last year when federal SNAP funding was suspended.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has declared a disaster emergency as a major winter storm heads for the commonwealth.

“Our teams at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) have been working to prepare to support Pennsylvanians as this winter storm impacts our Commonwealth,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Today, I signed a disaster declaration for the entire Commonwealth to ensure our agencies have all necessary resources ready to go. Stay off the roads if you can, be safe, and follow instructions from PEMA and your local authorities.”

The disaster emergency declaration streamlines the commonwealth’s operational structure, freeing up funding, removing spending obstacles and generally allowing for a quicker response to an emergency.

The declaration does NOT mean that people are not allowed to travel. However, people should still exercise caution during severe weather. Drivers should observe any speed limit restrictions, vehicle restrictions or road closures enacted by authorities.

The declaration also does NOT mean businesses have to close.

Disaster emergency powers

The governor’s disaster emergency powers come from Article IV, Section 20 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Declaring a general disaster emergency authorizes and directs the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director to assume command and control of all statewide emergency operations. All Commonwealth departments and agencies, under the direction of the PEMA Director are directed to use all available powers, resources and personnel as deemed necessary to deal with the relevant emergency.

In Pennsylvania, disaster emergencies cannot be in effect for more than 21 days unless it’s extended by the General Assembly. If a disaster emergency expires, the governor is not allowed to issue a new declaration based on the same, or substantially same, facts and circumstances unless the General Assembly approves it.

Shapiro has issued disaster emergencies previously, including one in August of 2024 for flooding brought about by Tropical Storm Debby and in October of last year when federal SNAP funding was suspended.