Snowstorm slams Erie region, shuts down PennWest Edinboro

Sure, El Niño may be poised to deliver Greater Pittsburgh another warmer-than-usual winter with less precipitation.

Up north, the lake effect still rules.

An intense snowstorm Tuesday off Lake Erie that is forecast to dump up to 20 inches in Erie County and surrounding areas prompted PennWest University’s Edinboro campus to close for the first time in four years.

Snowfall already was approaching a foot in places by early morning, falling at a rate of an inch or two an hour. It was expected to continue the rest of the afternoon and into the evening.

“Dining services and Ghering Health Center will remain open,” the school posted on its website. “If any change in conditions or circumstances occurs, additional information and direction will be provided through campus emergency communication channels, including emergency alert text messages, email and the campus website.”

Online classes were not affected.

Snowfall amounts off Lake Erie can vary greatly within a short distance. At Allegheny College in nearby Meadville, for instance, it was snowing but the campus remained open and the roads were merely wet, those on campus said. Penn State Erie, The Behrend campus, was also open.

“We have a few inches of snow here,” Behrend spokesman Robb Frederick said. “It’s cold. It’s blowing, but it’s Erie this time of year. We’re having some issues across the county. A big stretch of I-90 was closed for much of the night.”

In Edinboro, visibility dropped to a matter of feet at times as snow replaced rain overnight and accumulated on top of frozen precipitation, even as snow plow crews worked through the night. Essential campus workers reported for work as usual, clearing sidewalks and keeping roads on campus passable so essential student services could be delivered.

Christopher LaFuria, an Edinboro spokesman, drove to campus from Erie early Tuesday and observed the quickly changing conditions from Reeder Hall, where he works. At times, he said, it was hard to see Crawford Center, 50 or 60 feet away, even with building lights illuminated.

He said work crews did their best to stay ahead of conditions.

“It’s hard to keep up with 11 inches of snow in less than six hours,’’ he said.

LaFuria left home in Erie where four or five inches of snow had fallen, but knew road conditions ahead would vary.

“We’re at the graces of the wind,” he said, referring to bands of snow blown off the lake. “Drivers in Erie are used to this.”

Lake-effect storm: Blanket of snow varies in height throughout Erie, Crawford counties https://t.co/FhlqZNRcgm

— GoErie (@GoErie) November 28, 2023

PennWest spokeswoman Wendy Mackall said the university does not keep historical records related to snow closures, but based on internal communications, “It looks like 2019 was the last time we closed campus and canceled classes.”

PennWest campuses in Clarion and California were not impacted.

Depending on the winter, the Edinboro area can see as much as 150 inches of snow or more. Edinboro enrolls 2,532 students, not counting those taking classes online. It is the second largest among the three PennWest campuses behind California and ahead of Clarion. The three-campus PennWest has a combined enrollment of about 11,300 students.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland forecast snow to continue at least through Tuesday afternoon. It recorded 13 inches in Edinboro as of 7 a.m. and a heavy lake effect snow warning was in effect through 7 a.m. Wednesday

In Erie, forecasters said snow accumulation in some areas could amount to 8 inches, blown by anticipated winds of up to 30 mph before the snow warning is set to expire Wednesday morning, The Associated Press reported.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District said all of its schools would be closed Tuesday. In Pennsylvania, Northwestern School District in Albion closed schools Tuesday while other Erie and Crawford county districts delayed opening for two hours. Upward of a foot of snow also had fallen across a largely rural stretch of upstate New York east of Lake Ontario, with one spot recording 23 inches by Tuesday morning, according to the weather service.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.