Malvern Storm Updates: Roads Closed Throughout Chester County

Image of Route 401 in Chester County Saturday morning at about 10 a.m., courtesy of the East Whiteland Fire Company.

MALVERN, PA -- Snow fell with varying intensity across Malvern and much of Chester County through the night Friday and into the late morning Saturday, accumulating between 10 and 12 inches by around 7 a.m. And forecasters are saying the most severe part of the storm is yet to come.

No major power outages had reported yet by PECO as of noon Saturday.

Click here to find out snow totals so far in Chester County.

Malvern Borough declared a Snow Emergency effective on Friday evening.

The Chester County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated to Level III Limited Staffing at 7 a.m. Saturday. The EOC can be contacted at 610-344-5005 or chestercountyeoc@chesco.org.

During Malvern’s Winter Storm Emergency, parking will not be permitted on designated Snow Emergency Routes, and these roads are also restricted to vehicles with four wheel drive or snow chains. Vehicles left parked on these designated Snow Emergency Routes will be ticketed and towed if the owners cannot be located, according to officials.

Borough residents may park in borough parking lots during the duration of the snow emergency. Local officials are urging residents to stay off the roads.

“Some motorists who are making an attempt to get through are getting stuck, making it difficult for plows and emergency vehicles,” the East Whiteland Fire Company said. “It is not wise or safe to be out, unless you are on a highway or emergency crew. We will continue to update storm status throughout the day.”

Several other local municipalities have also declared snow emergencies. Nearby, East Pikeland has declared a state of emergency, effective until 10 a.m. Sunday.

Road closures in place in Chester County include the following:

• Rt. 322 at Cambridge Road, Honey Brook Township
• Reeceville Road between Swinehart and Manor Roads, West Brandywine Township
• Woodward Road and Overhill Road, South Coatesville Boro
• Rt. 1 and the PA Turnpike have vehicle and speed restrictions in place

In Malvern, the following roads are considered emergency routes:

1. BRIDGE ST – From King Street to Old Lincoln Highway
2. KING ST – From the eastern Borough line to the Western Borough line
3. MONUMENT AVE – From Sugartown Road to Warren Avenue
4. OLD LINCOLN HIGHWAY – From the eastern Borough line to the Western Borough line
5. SUGARTOWN RD – From the southern Borough line to King Street
6. WARREN AVE – From Paoli Pike to the northern Borough line

Several other local municipalities have also declared snow emergencies. Nearby, East Pikeland has declared a state of emergency, effective until 10 a.m. Sunday. Phoenixville is also under a snow emergency.

Here’s more on the blizzard which began in Malvern Friday. Check back for updates, we will be updating as they come in:

• The National Weather Service has upgraded the Blizzard Watch to a Blizzard Warning, advising all residents to prepare now. The Blizzard Warning, which is issued when serious winter weather is imminent, begins at 7 p.m. Friday.
• Philadelphia International Airport has cancelled all flights on Saturday, when the worst of the storm will be passing through the region.
• SEPTA announced it will suspend service Saturday for at least 24 hours.
• Snowfall started in Southeastern Pennsylvania Friday evening at about 7 p.m.
• As much as 18 inches could fall through Sunday, the National Weather Service predicts.
• Here are the hour-by-hour accumulation estimates for Chester County.
• Wind gusts of up to 40 mph are expected.
• Travel will be “extremely dangerous” if not impossible and power outages are likely, the NWS says. Click here for tips to prepare.
• PECO says it is ready to tackle storm-related outages: find out what they’re doing in response to the blizzard.
• Pennsylvania is under a State of Emergency. Gov. Wolf is urging residents to be calm but prepared.

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