Norristown Police: Roads 'Impassable', Warn Residents To Stay Home

Image of Norristown during Saturday’s blizzard via Benjamin J. Moran.

NORRISTOWN, PA -- Norristown Borough has declared a Snow Emergency as snow fell with varying intensity across much of Montgomery County through the night Friday and into the late morning Saturday, accumulating between 10 and 12 inches by around 7 a.m. and building to over 2 feet by the later afternoon.

At about 6 p.m. police warned residents that roads remained “impassable”and that plowing had become a second priority for public works, as they are currently supporting emergency vehicles stuck in the snow.

That includes the Norristown Police Department, Ambulances, and the Norristown Fire Department’s vehicles that are getting stuck while responding.

Tow trucks are very busy with residents and others venturing out, police said. Residents are asked to please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

No major power outages had reported yet by PECO as of 6 p.m. Saturday.

Click here to find out snow totals so far in Montgomery 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 Norristown’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.”

Norristown’s official snow plan is laid out here.

Several other local municipalities have also declared snow emergencies.

Here’s more on the blizzard which began in Norristown 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.

Click here to stay up-to-date on storm developments by subscribing to your local Patch emails.