December 26, 2017
Source/PennDOT
Four PennDOT traffic cam images show snow-covered highways in Erie on Tuesday morning.
Residents of the Delaware Valley who had hoped for a white Christmas in 2017 were treated to an ordinary, overcast day on Monday.
Maybe next year.
But across the state? Erie set a record for snowfall, accumulating an outrageous 34 inches of snow on Christmas day alone.
Erie, PA picked up 19" of new snow from midnight to 6 AM. This brings the storm total to 53" over the past 30 hours, shattering many records. This is the greatest 2-day total in the entire state of PA (prev. record 44" in Morgantown, PA 3/20-21/1958).
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) December 26, 2017
The lake-effect snow band, continuing into Tuesday, dropped an astounding 55 inches of snow, or about 4.5 feet, in a span of 36 hours, according to The Weather Channel.
Erie's previous Christmas day snowfall record was a mere 8.1 inches in 2002. Even the snowiest day in the city's history, a 20-inch storm in November 1956 — pales in comparison to the new record.
This week's storm was so powerful that it surpassed Erie's previous 13-day snowfall accumulation of 52.8 inches from Dec. 31, 1998 to Jan. 12, 1999.
In the month of December alone, Erie has picked up 92 inches of snow. The previous December record of 66.9 inches came in 1989.
Scenes from around the city showed a near-complete whiteout.
I live just 10 mins outside of #Erie and this sign has never been more relevant and appropriate. 34 inches of snow inside 24 hours on Christmas Day and it’s not stop and more on the way this weekend. pic.twitter.com/SMGG7hiGlu
— Bobby Delaney (@thatgeekdad) December 26, 2017
When your neighbor tells you to never come home 🙀 #Erie pic.twitter.com/dBXsu1zhoo
— Chris Norris (@CNorris_10) December 26, 2017
So this is what my grandma woke up to after completely cleaning off her truck last night #Erie pic.twitter.com/xHHdZ1ky8c
— Brooke Thomas (@Brt330) December 26, 2017
Erie, PA got 53” of snow in just 30 hours! Wish I was home! ❄️ ⛄️ pic.twitter.com/W8Pdob6qDt
— zach wetzel (@leftheris5) December 26, 2017
just #erie things... pic.twitter.com/rEKVcgZjI0
— holl (@jungpadawan) December 26, 2017
We're having a heat wave in Erie PA #Christmas2017 @Chubbies pic.twitter.com/mHOC5MtrdA
— Jonathan Horstman (@jon_horstman12) December 25, 2017
The clean-up in Erie, barring additional snowfall, will probably linger for quite some time. PennDOT has warned motorists to exercise caution as the time between Christmas and New Year's often comes with a spike in car accidents.
