You can forgive folks in Chester County if they feel a bit like they have whiplash this morning — yesterday afternoon featured highs in the mid to upper 60s and sun, and this morning, residents awoke to closed schools, slushy roads and a deep chill.
Forecasters struggled a bit with what today would look like, as the Delaware Valley straddled the line where rain would become sleet and snow. Locally, last night’s heavy rains turned to sleet and then snow around 5 a.m., just in time to mess up the morning commute.
Anticipating the mess, a number of local school districts moved to close today — making the announcement yesterday. Most of the rest opted to close this morning.
According to information around the county, the total snowfall will fall in the 2-4 inch range, with higher amounts in the north. Most roads are passable — with slick spots. Winds are pushing snow off trees and a could lead to downed branches. Scattered reports of power outages came in from around the county, PECO listing about 500 homes without power as of Thursday morning.
Snowfall should stop in most parts of the county between 10 and 11 a.m. Most roads will be passable, but the potential for slick areas will remain. Motorists are urged to use caution.
The snow will likely not be around long, as temperatures will moderate this weekend, reaching back into the high 40s locally. The trend for the rest of the month appears to call for warmer than usual temperatures.
