Snow in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey: Winter weather hits the region, impacting roads and residents

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The first measurable amount of snowfall in nearly two years hit the Philadelphia region on Monday night.

“I love the snow. I love winter,” said Ella Briddle, from King of Prussia.

Crews pretreated the roads ahead of the storm and will be out for the duration Tuesday.

PennDOT officials are telling drivers that if you see a plow truck, give them plenty of space and do not pass them.

PennDOT reduced speeds on several area highways due to the storm.

They also are reminding drivers that it has been a while since we’ve seen some snow, so take it slow and leave space and time for stopping and turning.

AAA is also reminding drivers to clear off your cars entirely, including the roof, hood and truck. They also suggest keeping a full tank of gas and avoid any unnecessary road changes.

“You just have to be careful. Slow down [and] keep your distance. Stay safe,” said Aaliyah Smiley, from Mt. Airy.

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The Philadelphia Streets Department is also offering some reminders about the snow.

• Remember to shovel a sidewalk path at least three feet wide within six hours of the end of the storm.

• Pile the snow on the sidewalk along the curb.

• Penalties for dumping snow in the street can range from $50 to $300.

• Clear snow from neighborhood sewer drains.

• Also, trash and recycling collections are already on a holiday schedule this week. Pickup is one day later than normal.

SNOW FALLS ACROSS PHILADELPHIA

By approximately 8 p.m. in Philadelphia, snowflakes were sticking to the ground across the city.

Snow could be seen coating the trees and sidewalks, slowly accumulating.

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One woman in South Philadelphia took in the snow accumulation and made a snow angel!

A viewer also captured another sight we haven’t seen in a while — snowball fight! The friendly exchange took place in University City between paramedics and Drexel students.

In the Roxborough and Manayunk neighborhoods, notoriously difficult-to-navigate streets were dusted with snow.

Steve Lorenz, the chief engineer for the City Streets Department, told Action News about 100 trucks will be on a roll helping treat the roads.

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Crews have been putting in the hours to make sure they were ready for the storm.

“We did a couple of dry runs earlier this year, just to make sure that everybody knows what their rules are, and what we have to do. The communication is happening,” said Lorenz.

Most of the Philadelphia region was forecasted to receive anywhere from a trace to 3 inches of snow by Tuesday afternoon.

PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS SHOULD AVOID ROADS

In King of Prussia, Montgomery County, residents began to salt their driveways Monday night as snow began to fall.

On the road, drivers told Action News they were being cautious as they traveled on slick, snow-covered streets.

PennDOT crews had been pre-treating the roads on Monday, hoping the salt would be enough as there was not enough snowfall to be plowed.

RELATED | PennDOT reduces speed limits on several Philadelphia area roadways

“We have around 130,000 tons of salt available. We have about 11,000 snow lanes that we are responsible for making sure they are passable for the public,” said Krys Johnson with PennDOT.

In Delaware County, some residents took matters into their own hands by buying salt from DMI Home Supply in Ardmore. The store’s owner said they had an influx of customers on Monday ahead of the winter weather.

PennDOT advised drivers to stay home if they can.

If you are traveling, check 511 PA before leaving and use 6abc’s traffic map for further updates.

SOUTH JERSEY PREPARED FOR TUESDAY

By the time the snowfall ends on Tuesday, the Jersey Shore is expected to get between a coating to 1 inch of snow.

Residents told Action News they were ready.

“I don’t mind it. We haven’t had it in a while, so it’s a little refreshing,” said David Bailey from East Greenwich, New Jersey.

Across the area, public works crews dusted off their equipment Monday afternoon after being out of practice for a while.

Brine trucks were sent out to prepare Pennsauken Township’s roads for precipitation. Camden County road crews were out too, treating 1,200 miles of road ahead of the storm.

NJDOT says crews and contractors are standing by in South Jersey, ready for the aftermath of the snowfall.

State officials added that the morning commute could be messy, so leave extra time if you need to go out.

READ | Philadelphia area breaks nearly 2-year drought with over 1 inch of snow

SHOVELS, SALT, ICE FLY OFF SHELVES IN DELAWARE

In Delaware, more than 250 trucks with DelDOT were busy salting and brining roads Monday.

During the day, residents stocked up on essentials to deal with the storm.

“Just want to make sure that the wife and kids are going to be good while I’m at work,” said Matt Esham, who was buying salt.

“We came out to look for some sleds,” said Carl Hessler.

Drivers said the roads were well-treated and they didn’t run into any problems driving on I-95 Monday afternoon.

Delaware has 43,000 tons of salt on hand to keep the roads from getting icy. DelDOT still advises drivers to be cautious if they are traveling into Tuesday morning.