Freezing Rain Advisory Extended For Schuylkill County

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT ...
* LOCATIONS ...LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS.
* HAZARD TYPES ...AREAS OF FREEZING RAIN.
* ACCUMULATIONS ....LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH.
* TIMING ...TEMPERATURES ARE SLOWLY WARMING ...BUT POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MIDNIGHT.
* IMPACTS ...ICY AND TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS ON UNTREATED SURFACES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ...
HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION ...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
REPORT ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO CTP.STORMREPORTS@NOAA.GOV ...POSTING TO THE NWS STATE COLLEGE FACEBOOK PAGE ...OR TWEET @NWSSTATECOLLEGE WITH THE HASHTAG #CTPWX.

Blythe Twp. Crash Closes Route 209 for Hours

From:  TamaquaArea.com

SUV SHEERS POLE ALONG US209 IN BLYTHE TWP; ROAD CLOSED FOR 4 HOURS

A man and two children escaped injuries after the SUV they were in crashed into and sheered a utility pole around 4:30 PM Saturday (Jan. 4, 2014) along US209 in Blythe Township (near the intersection of James Street). The vehicle came to rest in front of Chet's Wholesale Beverage. The incident also resulted in downed power and communication lines. US209 was closed from New Philadelphia to Middleport for about 4 hours during the response and initial repairs. Responding were fire companies from Kaska, Cumbola, New Philadelphia and Middleport. State Police are investigating.

Freezing Rain Advisory for Schuylkill County (Updated)

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

Schuylkill County Weather Forecast

By: Monsoon Mike

Sunday will be a less than desirable day especially until mid-afternoon across Schuylkill County as freezing rain causes havoc on local roads. I expect the rain (which should remain light for the most part) to begin around 6 a.m. and continue through Sunday night.  By Sunday night, everything should be plain rain, but before then, temperatures will be below freezing and roads will be less than desirable. This all will be followed by crashing temperatures on Monday as temperatures go from the 30's all the way back down below zero by Monsay night.  In between, as the actual cold front passes, the precipitation could end as a burst of snow Monday morning. The active winter continues, folks!

Freezing Rain Advisory Issued For Schuylkill County

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

* LOCATIONS...LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS.

* HAZARD TYPES...AREAS OF FREEZING RAIN.

* ACCUMULATIONS....LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH.

* TIMING...LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING.

* IMPACTS...ICY AND TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS ON UNTREATED SURFACES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION...GO TO WEATHER.GOV/CTP OR STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

REPORT ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO CTP.STORMREPORTS@NOAA.GOV...POSTING TO THE NWS STATE COLLEGE FACEBOOK PAGE...OR TWEET @NWSSTATECOLLEGE WITH THE HASHTAG #CTPWX.

Frigid Temperatures From Overnight in Schuylkill County

Our readers reported in some of the frigid temperatures from overnight.  This is what we gathered: 

Ashland 0

Auburn -2.6

Cressida -4

Fountain Springs -3

Lavelle -5

Locust Dale -1

Orwigsburg 1

Pottsville -1

Schuylkill Haven -4

West Penn -1

Picture below is from Lake Hauto

Schuylkill County Weather Forecast

By:  Monsoon Mike

Now that our storm is but a distant memory, our attention turns to some of the coldest air this area has seen in a number of years. Lows are already in the negative digits and by morning we might have temperatures around minus 7 or minus 8 across Skook. Surprisingly, however, temperatures warm all the way to the 20's by later in the day and on Sunday maybe even into the 30's as some rain falls, not snow.

One concern, however, is if cold air gets trapped at the surface and some of that rain starts as freezing rain or snow on Sunday and ends as touch of snow on Monday. I'll know more tomorrow if that's going to happen but the majority of this coming storm looks to be liquid rather than white.

That will be followed by another intense push of arctic air that might even make what we're going through tonight feel warm! Stay tuned!

Snowfall Totals and Images From Around Schuylkill County

The storm is over and we want to thank everyone who shared their snow totals and images with us.

Below are the totals that we've received from all of you

PennDOT Lowers Speed Limits on Interstates

Due to road conditions from the snow, PENNDOT has lowered the speeds on Interstate 81 through Schuylkill County to 45 mph until further notice.

Ashland Doctor Facing Drug Charges

WNEP posted a story Thursday on Dr. Stephanie Tarapchak, who practiced in Ashland, is now facing drug charges.

She is accused from writing prescriptions to pain killers that have led to overdoses and one death.

Tarapchak is also facing charges for smuggling drugs into the Lackawanna County Prison by hiding them inside her rectum.

Tarapchak is to be prosecuted in Lackawanna County court, where she is also locked up at this time.

Tarapchak was charged with corrupt organizations, drug delivery resulting in death, prescribing outside the scope of practice, distribution/prescription to a drug dependent person, refusal or failure to keep records, controlled substance contraband to a confined person, perjury, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, insurance fraud, theft by deception and criminal conspiracy.

Link to full story below
http://wnep.com/2014/01/02/ashland-doctor-facing-drug-charges/

http://republicanherald.com/news/ag-schulkill-county-doctor-smuggled-drugs-into-lackawanna-county-prison-unlawfully-prescribed-pain-pills-1.1610951

Schuylkill County Weather Forecast

By:  Monsoon Mike

As our snowstorm departs, we will be left in the wrath of some of the coldest temperatures Skook has seen in several years. Arctic air will completely plunge into Pennsylvania as our storm exits, making high temperatures on Friday about 10 or 15 at best. Yes, TEN or FIFTEEN. Think that's cold? Try Friday Night, About -5. Yes, that's a five with a minus in front of it. Brrrr! 

Things slowly moderate this weekend and we may even see 20 again before it's over! As crazy as this sounds, our next storm later in the weekend or early next week may even feature more liquid rather than frozen variety as temperatures take a nice visit back to the 30s. But it won't be for long. Another arctic plunge happens early next week perhaps featuring temperatures a few ticks LOWER than THIS arctic plunge. 

Guess those woolly caterpillars were onto something when people spotted them having crazy thick coats this past autumn while we were being deceived with 80 degrees on October 5th(remember them days?)

Schuylkill County School Closings and Delays - 1/3/14

 

LAST UPDATED:  1/3/2014 5:35am

 

Assumption BVM - CLOSED

Blue Mountain - CLOSED

Gillingham Charter - CLOSED

Mahanoy Area - CLOSED

Marian - CLOSED

Minersville - CLOSED

Nativity BVM - CLOSED

North Schuylkill - CLOSED

Pine Grove - CLOSED

Pottsville - CLOSED

Schuylkill Haven - CLOSED

Schuylkill Maple Ave - CLOSED

Schuylkill Special Ed. Ctr - CLOSED

Schuylkill Tech North Campus - CLOSED

Schuylkill Tech South Campus - CLOSED
Shenandoah Valley - CLOSED
St. Ambrose/Schuylkill Haven - CLOSED

St. Jerome Regional/Tamaqua - CLOSED
St. Clair - CLOSED

St. Nicholas/Minersville - CLOSED
Tamaqua - CLOSED
Tri-Valley - CLOSED
Trinity Academy - CLOSED
Williams Valley - CLOSED

Hazleton Chinese Restaurant Searched Thursday Morning

The Standard Speaker is reporting that the Jumbo China Buffet in Hazle Township was searched by State Police Thursday morning.

Update:  It is now being reported that an employee stole credit card information from customers.

Link to article from Standard Speaker
http://standardspeaker.com/news/state-police-search-hazle-twp-restaurant-1.1610655

Schuylkill County Weather Related Announcements - 1/2/14

Schuylkill County Weather Related Announcements for 1/2/14

Boroughs

Mahanoy City - Snow Parking Ban Tonight Mayor has issued a snow parking ban. There will be NO PARKING between Midnight & 7AM on the following streets: Centre St. , Main St. , South St from 2nd Street west to Borough line.

McAdoo - Snow ban is in effect in McAdoo from 6 p.m. Thursday until 6 p.m. Friday.

**We will continue to update this page with other announcements as they come in

Our St. Patty's Shirt's Are Ready To Sell

We launched our t-shirt campaign today for our Schuylkill County Irish!  The great thing about this sale is now we have men's and women's styles.  You can get them at link below.  Once on that page, click the drop-down box labeled "Style" to see the shirt in different styles.

http://teespring.com/irishskook2

Men's

Women's V-neck