HARRISBURG, PA — With a fast-moving winter storm poised to sweep across northern Pennsylvania beginning Wednesday evening, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel and brace for aggressive speed and vehicle restrictions across key interstates.
Forecasters expect the storm to begin as snow in the northwest before spreading eastward through Thursday and Friday. Erie and Crawford counties could see snowfall rates of one inch per hour, coupled with 30-plus-mph wind gusts that may trigger whiteouts and dangerous drifting.
PennDOT officials said Tier 1 travel restrictions will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, November 27, on the full lengths of Interstate 86 and Interstate 90, limiting access for several vehicle types until conditions improve.
Under Tier 1 restrictions, the following vehicles are banned from affected roadways:
- Tractors without trailers
- Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers, or tank trailers
- Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers
- Unloaded or lightly loaded cargo delivery trucks/box trucks classified as commercial vehicles
- Passenger vehicles towing trailers
- Recreational vehicles and motorhomes
- School buses, commercial buses, and motor coaches
- Motorcycles
Speed limits will drop to 45 mph on restricted routes, with unaffected commercial vehicles required to stay in the right lane. Additional restrictions may be implemented if conditions deteriorate.
PennDOT is directing motorists to monitor 511PA, roadside message boards, and the 511PA app for real-time updates. Personalized alerts are also available.
While the agency strongly advises staying off the roads, officials issued detailed guidance for those who must travel, emphasizing slow speeds, increased following distance, headlight use, and avoiding sudden lane changes. Drivers caught in a snow squall should activate hazard lights and avoid stopping in live traffic unless they can safely pull off the roadway.
During whiteouts, PennDOT warns that drivers should never attempt to pass slow-moving vehicles or accelerate to escape tailgaters, and should always clear windows, mirrors, and vehicle roofs of ice and snow as required by state law.
Snow-removal crews will be active throughout the storm, and PennDOT reminded drivers to stay six car lengths behind plow trucks, avoid their blind spots, and never try to pass plows—especially when trucks are operating in coordinated “plow trains.”
Last winter, Pennsylvania saw 8,329 crashes, 29 fatalities, and 2,959 injuries on snowy, slushy, or ice-covered roads. Officials noted that 17 fatalities involved drivers traveling too fast for conditions.
The Pennsylvania State Police urged motorists involved in crashes to move their vehicles out of traffic if possible, call 911 when injuries or disabled vehicles are involved, remain inside the vehicle with seat belts fastened if stuck in travel lanes, and quickly move to safety if exiting the vehicle is the only safe option.
The law also requires drivers to remove accumulated snow and ice from hoods, roofs, and trunks within 24 hours after a storm. Violators may face a $50 fine, and penalties can rise to $1,500 if dislodged ice causes serious injury or death.
State officials say the storm’s intensity will vary, but the message is the same statewide: plan ahead, prepare emergency kits, and stay home if at all possible.
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