BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A nuisance system that moved through the region Sunday night brought the Lehigh Valley its first measurable snowfall of the season, the National Weather Service said.
Early Monday, the weather service forecast office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, reported 0.3 of an inch of snow at Lehigh Valley International Airport, designated as the area's official climate site.
The Valley saw snowfall three consecutive days earlier in the month, but each time it was measured as a “trace” — a weather term describing snow that doesn't reach 0.1 of an inch on a measuring surface, or snow that melts as it falls.
Snowfall reports through just after 5 AMhttps://t.co/LTFuvGg7ah
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) December 16, 2024
Additional snowfall reports in Lehigh County included 0.9 of an inch measured in Salisbury Township and a half-inch in Macungie.
The northern tier of Northampton County recorded higher measurements, with 2.7 inches in Nazareth, 2.2 inches in Bushkill Township and 2 inches in Moore Township.
Many schools in the area were running on a two-hour delay Monday, including Allentown, Bethlehem Area, Parkland, Wilson Area and Whitehall-Coplay.
A cold blast ahead
A system Wednesday into Thursday should bring rain to much of the area, but could end as snow in the northeastern tier of Pennsylvania, according to EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich.
That will set the table for the arrival of the winter solstice this weekend, with strong Canadian high pressure building southward across the area.
“This one may be accompanied by the coldest air since last January, rivaling last winter’s coldest days,” the weather service said in its latest forecast discussion.
Highs by Sunday could potentially stay in the 20s, with lows in the single digits and teens.
“It’s going to be really cold here Sunday and [next] Monday,” Martrich said.
The cold air should start to lift out as we approach Christmas Eve, with highs potentially pushing into the upper 30s to near 40 degrees by Christmas Day.
Overall, the cold moving in for the weekend is the dominant headline of the long-term period.
"The lack of snow cover likely keeps things a little more moderate, but either way, it could be quite a shock to the system."National Weather Service
“The lack of snow cover likely keeps things a little more moderate, but either way, it could be quite a shock to the system.
"So, if you like really cold and dry weather, Sunday is starting to look like your favorite day of the forecast,” the weather service said.
