Storm didn't live up to hype

Snowflakes came down fast and furious at times Wednesday, but nowhere near the rate that was originally predicted to slam the area.

The National Weather Service downgraded its original forecast of 14 to 18 inches of snowfall for Carbon and Monroe counties on Wednesday afternoon.

So what exactly went wrong?

“The access of heaviest snow was slightly further east than what we initially forecast,” said Sarah Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “In general, elevation did play a big role.”

“It was still a major storm with that heavy, wet snow,” she said.

While the forecast may have fallen way shy of what was predicted, it was enough to cause havoc along many roadways Wednesday.

Just before 11 a.m., a crash was reported on Old Stage Road, just off Route 903 in Towamensing Trails, Penn Forest Township. Injuries were reported from that incident.

A tractor-trailer jackknifed on Route 903 in Kidder Township on the snow-covered roadway, forcing the closure of Route 903 between Pine Point Plaza and Lake Harmony Road. The road reopened just before 3 p.m.

Mahoning Township Police shut down Route 209 between Lehighton and Jim Thorpe for a time after the snow made the road nearly impassible for traffic, and stopped vehicles made it difficult to clear.

A FedEx truck and a tractor-trailer were stuck on the Mansion House Hill between Jim Thorpe and Mahoning Township due to heavy snowfall. The Mansion House Hill was later reopened to traffic.

That isn’t to say areas didn’t get hit hard.

Johnson said that in Monroe, Bossardsville received 12.4 inches of snow, while Saylorsburg had 8 inches. In Carbon, she said Albrightsville received 9 inches, while Werleys Corner in Lehigh County saw 7.6 inches.

PennDOT temporarily reduced the speed limit on several roadways in the region, and urged motorists to avoid unnecessary travel.

The conditions didn’t stop Matthew Fatalavage from voluntarily shoveling residents’ sidewalks throughout Lehighton, which received about 6 inches of snow.

“I come down and I just shovel,” Fatalavage said. “My dad taught me a good work ethic, to wake up in the morning and get out there and shovel, whether you get money for it, you get thanks for it, doesn’t matter. He taught me a good work ethic and it kept me a job my whole life, so I don’t mind doing it.”

Fatalavage added, “I like physical labor. I do road construction.”

“It’s not about the money,” he said. “He (his dad) said go out there and make some money or something, but normally I don’t make any money. I just do it to do it.”

Fatalavage said, “It’s good physical exercise. I’m athletic. I play sports.”

Johnson said today’s temperatures were expected to go above freezing, except for maybe in the highest elevations in Carbon County. As a result, she said to expect quite a bit of melting today. Temperatures are expected to dip down below freezing tonight, which could mean some refreezing on the roads.

There was also a small chance for snow showers tonight into Friday, said Johnson, who added she wasn’t expecting much accumulation.

So, are we out of the woods just yet?

“Some people are talking about a potential system Sunday night into Monday, still just a lot of uncertainty in that time period,” she said. “We won’t have more information until we get closer to the event.”

If that’s any indication, residents should continue doing what they’ve become accustomed to this winter season.

Hope for the best, but be ready for the unexpected.