008
AWUS81 KCTP 311111
RWSCTP
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-
049>053-056>059-063>066-010115-

Regional Weather Summary
National Weather Service State College PA
611 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

A slight shift in the wind direction today, from the Northwest to
West-Southwest, will provide a brief break in the significant,
accumulating lake effect and upslope snows across the Northwest
Mountains and Laurel Highlands.

However, the approach of a potent upper level disturbance and
surface arctic frontal boundary will turn the winds back to the
west then northwest later tonight and Thursday, reigniting the
heavier snow across the Western Mountains.

Along and just ahead of this arctic front, one or two extensive
bands of heavy snow squalls will bring anywhere from a coating to
2 inches of snow in just 30 minutes, creating the potential for
brief whiteout conditions in heavy falling and blowing snow with
wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph.

High temperatures today will range from the low to mid 20s across
the Northern Mountains to the low and mid 30s in the Central and
Southern Valleys.

The front with its bands of squalls will probably be near Erie
just after sunset, Pittsburgh in the late evening, and getting
close to Scranton, Harrisburg, and Chambersburg right around
midnight. Midnight temperatures will range from the mid teens in
the northwest to around the freezing mark in Philadelphia,
Harrisburg and Chambersburg.

The wind chills will be down in the single digits over the
northwest at that time, and teens and 20s elsewhere. Plan ahead
for the blustery weather if you plan to be on the roads, even for
a short time, as we turn the page to 2026.

Very cold temperatures, plenty of clouds and flurries, with
significant lake effect snow continuing across the Northwest
Mountains will be the Main Weather story for the first day of
2026. Thursday`s highs will be between 15 and 20 degrees across
the Northern and Western Mountains, with mid to upper 20s
throughout the Susquehanna Valley. The high temps will be
anywhere from 11 to 18 degrees below normal for the first of
January.

$$

Lambert