Friday, February 21, 2014
Dense Fog Advisory In Effect For Schuylkill County
* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES.
* IMPACTS...SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN THE VISIBILITY WILL MAKE TRAVELING DIFFICULT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO SLOW DOWN...KEEP HEADLIGHTS ON TO ALLOW OTHERS TO BETTER SEE YOU. ALSO...LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU IN CASE A SUDDEN STOP IS NEEDED AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
Overnight Motor Vehicle Accidents in West Penn and East Union Township
About an hour later, just after midnight, E. Union Twp Fire was called to Holmesville Road/Green Mountain Road for a vehicle into a tree with injuries. No other information or the severity of the injuries are available at this time.
Father, Mother, and Son Charged With Assault After Disturbance in Shenandoah
Around 7PM, Wednesday evening (February 19, 2014), Shenandoah Borough officers were called to the 100 Block of North Jardin St. for a fight in progress. While enroute, officers were advised that the fight involved weapons in the form of shovels and that the fight was escalating.
When officers arrived, they found several people in the street with shovels.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Mark Kessler No Longer Police Chief of Gilberton, Signs deal for Reality Show?
WNEP's story
http://wnep.com/2014/02/20/mark-kessler-no-longer-police-chief/
The Pennlive.com out of Harrisburg reports that he has signed with a national production company for a reality show.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/02/settlement_ends_dispute_with_c.html#incart_river_default
Win Tickets to See Cesar Millan at the Santander Performing Arts Center
Dozens Arrested in Heroin Sweep in Hazleton
Image from AttorneyGeneral.gov |
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=7495
You can read the full list of people from the link above, but some of the people arrested were from Schuylkill County.
Schuylkill County Basketball District 11 Playoff Schedule
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Schuylkill County High School Basketball Scores
Interstate 81 Open Again After Being Closed for Over 4 Hours
The Interstate has been closed to traffic at the 104 (Ravine), 107 (Tower City), and 112 (Hegins) exits.
Tuesday Morning Fire in Mahanoy City
A woman is displaced after a fire destroyed her Mahanoy City home Tuesday morning.
Schuylkill County School Closings/Delays for 2/19/14
Icy Road Conditions Wednesday Morning
Accidents have been reported from Route 61 in Orwigsburg, Route 61 near Port Clinton, Owl Creek Road in Tamaqua, and all over Interstate 81.
The Interstate is reported to be closed southbound from at the exits at 104 (Ravine), 107 (Tower City), and 112 (Hegins). Multiple accidents were reported within a 2 mile stretch of the Interstate near the Pine Grove exit. One of the accident was reportedly to involve a car and a tractor trailer.
There were also accidents reported Northbound on Interstate 81 near milemarker 131.
Current Closures (at 9:56am)
- Interstate 81 Southbound - Milemarker 112-100
- 209 between Tamaqua and Coaldale
- Hometown Hill near Hometown
- Owl Creek Road, Tamaqua
Tuesday's 3 Vehicle Accident in West Penn Township
Freezing Rain Morning Update
Freezing Rain Morning Update
5:50AM: Good morning! Our
precipitation is currently out in Western Pennsylvania. It will begin to
reach Eastern PA anytime after 8am. The main concern for freezing rain will be in the valleys.
Warmer air is moving in aloft. Basically the higher up you go, the
warmer it is. In fact, elevations are pretty warm this morning. In Frackville it's already 30 degrees. These temps will
continue to rise as we head through the morning hours. In the valleys,
such as Tamaqua and Pottsville, we are stuck between 16-18 degrees. With
that being said, freezing rain will hold on longer in valley locations.
However, if an elevation starts to see rain and it's 33 degrees, it
could still freeze. Ground temps are colder than the air temp. So until
the ground warms up, freezing rain will be a concern for just about all
of the area.
Best Chance for Freezing rain will be after 8am
and lasting until noon. Beyond that, temps will be warm enough to
support plain rain. Again, freezing rain will hold on longer in valley
locations today. Highs today will reach the lower 40's later this
afternoon. Just be careful out there if traveling between 8am and 12pm.
Most main roads should be ok. It's the side roads and untreated surfaces
that ya gotta worry about. Stay safe and have a great Wednesday!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
One Arrested in Connection with Wal-Mart Arson
One man was arrested Tuesday evening for allegedly setting a fire in the lawn and garden section of the Hometown Wal-Mart.
WNEP is reporting that Police said Johnathan Maldanado, 20, from Hazleton admitted to starting the fire by lighting a can of Silly String and leaving it on a shelf in the store.
Schuylkill County High School Basketball Scores
Freezing Rain Advisory Issued For Schuylkill County
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON EST WEDNESDAY.
Charges Filed Against Man in Car Chase in Shenandoah
Photo from Shenandoah Police Department FB Page |
According to the Shenandoah Police Department Facebook page, Kelly led officers in a vehicle pursuit that began in the Turkey Run area of the borough then ended up going off road ending near Yatesville Road.
The chases ended when Kelly rammed a Shenandoah Police cruiser then fled.
Possible ice preceding warmer temps
Rain showers are expected to move towards the county between 6am and 9am Wednesday morning. Along with the rain, temps will be stuck below freezing. Temps aren't projected to rise above 32 degrees until after the 9am hour. So with light rain moving in during the morning commute, ice is possible. Main roads are normally ok during events like this. It's the untreated surfaces and side roads which cause the most problems. I'll have more information this evening during my 7pm update. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you haven't heard the news yet.
Highs on Wednesday will approach the 40 degree mark during the afternoon. Thursday will most likely reach the low 40's and Friday has a shot at hitting 50. Don't worry, winter will filter back in by next Monday with highs in the upper 30's.
Police Need Help Identifying 4 People In Relation to Arson Fire at the Hometown Wal-Mart
Rush Township Police are asking the public’s help in identifying four individuals involved in an arson fire this morning (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014) inside the Hometown Wal-Mart.
(PAGE DOWN TO VIEW PHOTOS OF THE SUSPECTS)
“These four individuals are responsible for starting the fire near the lawn and garden section of the store,” said Sgt. Duane Frederick, Rush Township Police Department. “The males ran out of the store and got into a black vehicle and fled the parking lot headed north on SR309.” Emergency personnel responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hometown at 2:26 AM for a report of flames and thick white smoke inside the lawn and garden section of the store.
Truck Overturns in Rush Township Tuesday Morning
No one was injured after a driver flipped his full-size truck on its side around 8 AM today (Feb. 18, 2014) along Ye Old Hauto Road in Hometown, Rush Township. The incident occurred near the SR54 (Lafayette Avenue) intersection. Responding were Rush Township Police, Hometown Fire Company, Quakake Fire Police and Hometown Fire Police. Hope’s Towing removed the vehicle.
Overnight Fire At Hometown Wal-Mart
Shortly after 2:30 this morning (Tuesday, February 18, 2014), emergency personnel responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hometown for a report of flames and thick white smoke inside the lawn and garden section of the store.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Schuylkill County School Delays/Closings 2/18/14
BEST OF SKOOK: And the winner of the "Best Cheesesteak in Schuylkill County" is . . .
Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Schuylkill County
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST TUESDAY ...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST TUESDAY.
* LOCATIONS ...CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
* HAZARD TYPES ...SNOW OVERNIGHT. PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS ...2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW.
* TIMING ...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND SPREAD QUICKLY TO THE EAST ...REACHING STATE COLLEGE AROUND MIDNIGHT AND HARRISBURG AND WILLIAMSPORT BY 2 AM EST. THE SNOW WILL BE BRIEFLY HEAVY. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHEAST BEFORE SUNRISE. HOWEVER ...LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS OR PATCHES OF FREEZING DRIZZLE ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH LATE MORNING.
* IMPACTS ...TRAVEL WILL BE SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY OVERNIGHT DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. A THIN GLAZE OF ICE MAY OCCUR TUESDAY MORNING AS THE SNOW ENDS.
* WINDS ...SOUTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES ...NEARLY STEADY IN THE MID 20S.
* VISIBILITIES ...LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES OVERNIGHT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ...
HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION ...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
REPORT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO CTP.STORMREPORTS@NOAA.GOV ... POSTING TO THE NWS STATE COLLEGE FACEBOOK PAGE ...OR TWEET @NWSSTATECOLLEGE WITH THE HASHTAG #CTPWX.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Mostly Sunny Monday; More Snow Tuesday!
7:15PM UPDATE: Tonight will feature some very cold air once again. Lows will bottom out in the single digits for most of us across the county. A scattered snow shower is possible. Presidents Day is looking mostly sunny! Clouds will begin to increase during the afternoon ahead of our next clipper system. Highs will top out in the upper 20's.
All eyes turn to our next snow event: It will be another nuisance snowfall. If you've made it this far, you can surely handle what lies ahead. Snow showers will break out anytime after midnight on Tuesday. Light to moderate snow will continue through the morning commute. Totals won't be too impressive. Overall, I'm going with a general 1-3" across Schuylkill County. Even though it's not much, it's one of those events that will occur at just the right time to effect your ride to work/school.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
More snow by Tuesday?
8:00PM UPDATE: Good evening! So it looks like everyone saw a general 3 to 7 inches of fresh snow today. I don't know bout you, but I'm sick of shoveling. Tonight will be COLD and WINDY. Gusts could reach 35mph at times. Watch out for blowing and drifting snow if traveling tonight. Sunday will bring us a mix of sun and clouds. It will be cold with highs in the lower 20's. Winds will be be with us once again with gusts to 20-25mph at times. A snow shower is possible.
Yes, more accumulating snow is headed our way. Our next system will get here during the early morning hours Tuesday. As of now, it looks like sometime between 12am and 2am. Snow will wrap up before the noon hour. Totals look to range from 3-6" across the area.
Summit Hill Couple Turns Snow Piles in Snow Art
A sizable creation in the front yard of a Summit Hill home is drawing lots of attention. Summit Hill residents Fred Evans Jr., Shannon O’Donnell and Kevin Gieniec have spent numerous man-hours creating a 45-foot long Valentine’s Day display made of snow, ice and a few other materials. It’s features include a red heart-colored igloo, a 10-foot red arch and about a dozen colored ice hearts.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Schuylkill League Championship Finals
Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Schuylkill County
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY ...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY.
* HAZARD TYPES ...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS ...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW.
* TIMING ...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ...AND WILL SPREAD EASTWARD THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. MOST OF THE SNOW WILL FALL BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 3 AM AND 9 AM ...BEFORE TAPERING TO SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS BY EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A GUSTY NORTH WIND WILL CREATE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW.
* IMPACTS ...SNOW COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITIES WILL MAKE TRAVELING HAZARDOUS.
* WINDS ...NORTH 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES ...IN THE MID 20S.
* VISIBILITIES ...UNDER A MILE AT TIMES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ...
HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION ...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
REPORT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO CTP.STORMREPORTS@NOAA.GOV ... POSTING TO THE NWS STATE COLLEGE FACEBOOK PAGE ...OR TWEET @NWSSTATECOLLEGE WITH THE HASHTAG #CTPWX.
Pottsville Church Opens Doors To Help Others Through Snowstorm
WNEP and the Republican Herald posted stories about this incredible act of kindness.
Republican Herald
http://republicanherald.com/news/church-in-city-offers-shelter-to-snowbound-homeless-1.1634529
WNEP
http://wnep.com/2014/02/13/helping-storm-victims-in-pottsville/
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Schuylkill County School Closings/Delays for 2/14/14
McCann School of Business/Pottsville - 2 Hour Delay
Pictures from Around Schuylkill County During the February Snowstorm
Outside T102 (From T102 Fan Page) |
Outside T102 (From T102 Fan Page) |
Dutch Hill, Tamaqua (TamaquaArea.com) |
Pine Grove |
Mahanoy City |
Port Carbon |
More snow? Round 2 is on it's way!
1:10PM UPDATE: For those of us in a lull right now, there is more snow to come. A heavy batch of snow will move through this evening. This is referred to as "Round 2" so get ready! The snow is very wet out there right now so you might want to get shoveling done before the next round. We'll have a decent lull for the majority of the afternoon. I'm not sure on the "exact" timing that it arrives. However, I have it outlined on the attached radar image. It's currently down in North Carolina so sometime this evening it will move through our neck of the woods. So if you were wondering if it's over, here's your answer. Final totals will range from 10-16" across the county.
Speed Limits Reduced on 209, 309, and Interstate 81
• Interstates 78, 80, 81, 176 and 380;
• U.S. Routes 22, 222 and 422; and
• State Routes 33, 209 and 309.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
2 Injured in Walker Township Crash
Two people were taken to the hospital for unknown injuries around 5:30 PM, Wednesday after the pickup truck they were in crashed into a tree along Wildcat Road in Walker Township. The crash occurred westbound in the area of 200 Wildcat Road. Responding were Tamaqua Rescue Squad, New Ringgold Ambulance, Walker/New England Fire Company, Tamaqua’s South Ward Fire Company and State Police.
Schuylkill County Basketball Semi Final Results
Schuylkill County School Closings and Delays for 2/13/14
Everything you need to know about the SNOW
2:30PM UPDATE: Good afternoon! If you have travel plans this evening, don't cancel them. The storm will hold off until after midnight. Snow should begin to break out between 1am and 2am in the county. Once the snow gets going, it will become heavy at times. It could snow at 1-2 inches an hour in the heaviest bands. Snow will continue throughout the morning on Thursday. During the afternoon, the snow may actually slow down. This will give us time to shovel everything that fell earlier in the day. By evening, another round of heavier snow will move through with rates of 1-2 inches per hour. Snow will end during the early morning hours Friday. As of now, I like a general 8-14" across the county. It will be a heavy/wet snow since temps will be in the low 30's throughout the day tomorrow. This is the kind of snow where you don't want to wait till the end to shovel. If you wait too long, it will be back breaking for you. Another factor will be the wind. During the afternoon and evening winds will increase. Gusts could reach 25-30mph at times. This will create whiteout conditions during the higher gusts. If at all possible, stay home tomorrow. Road crews will have a tough time keeping up with the heavy snow. I'll be updating throughout the storm on my Facebook Page: Tamaqua Area Weatherman.