A quick hitting winter storm dropped heavy snow across the Poconos and parts of Northampton and Bucks Counties. It dropped a wintry mix across the rest of the Lehigh Valley and in Berks, Chester and Montgomery Counties. Little if any snow or sleet fell in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties. The event lasted only about six to eight hours, but up to 9 inches of snow accumulated in the Poconos.  Snowfall rates of an inch per hour were common in the Poconos. In the Philadelphia area, precipitation began during the afternoon as rain and sleet. As the precipitation intensity increased, it changed over to snow around sunset in the upper parts of the suburbs. Eventually enough warm air moved in aloft to change precipitation back to rain with some pockets of freezing rain. The only exception was in upper Bucks County, where precipitation remained mostly snow. As the low accelerated offshore, precipitation changed back to snow before it ended by 11 p.m. EST. In Berks County, the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, precipitation started as snow around sunset. Warm air moving in aloft changed the precipitation to sleet and freezing rain in Berks County and the Lehigh Valley during the first half of the evening. The shortest duration changeover occurred in Northampton County. As the low pressure system pulled offshore, precipitation changed back to snow before ending by midnight EST. In the Poconos, precipitation fell mainly as snow. Untreated roads were treacherous and many accidents were reported. Vehicles slid into ditches, creeks and one another. The worst reported accidents occurred in Berks County. In Spring Township, a tanker truck carrying gasoline on the northbound lanes of U.S. Route 222 overturned at 430 pm. EST. About 1,000 gallons were spilled. Northbound U.S. Route 222, Pennsylvania State Route 183 and Broadcasting Road were closed until the next morning. The eastbound lanes of Interstate 78 from Hamburg to the Lehigh County line were closed from 945 p.m. EST through 4 a.m. EST because of a four tractor trailer accident. In Carbon County, U.S. Route 209 was closed because of stuck vehicles. Schools were closed the next day in Carbon and Monroe Counties and had delayed openings in Berks County. Specific accumulations included 9 inches in Lehighton and Nesquehoning (Carbon County), 8.0 inches in Pocono Summit (Monroe County), 6 inches in Williams Township (Northampton County), Springtown (Bucks County) and Mount Pocono (Monroe County), 4.8 inches in Bath (Northampton County), 4.5 inches in Coplay (Lehigh County), 4.0 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, 3.0 inches in Blue Marsh (Berks County), 2.7 inches in Palm (Montgomery County), 2.5 inches in Perkasie (Bucks County), 2.0 inches in Honey Brook (Chester County) and Pottstown (Montgomery County), 1.5 inches in West Chester (Chester County) and 1.0 inch in New Hope (Bucks County).  The low pressure system responsible for the first winter storm of the season developed near Houston, Texas the morning of the 5th. It moved rapidly northeast and reached the Alabama/Georgia border at 7 a.m. EST on the 6th, was just east of Atlantic City at 7 p.m. EST on the 6th and reached Nova Scotia by the morning of the 7th.

Sleet in CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 15:00:00 to 06-JAN-02 22:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Sleet in MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 15:00:00 to 06-JAN-02 22:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Sleet in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 17:00:00 to 07-JAN-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in CARBON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 17:30:00 to 07-JAN-02 02:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in MONROE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 17:30:00 to 07-JAN-02 02:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in BUCKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 17:00:00 to 07-JAN-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in NORTHAMPTON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 17:00:00 to 07-JAN-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Sleet in BERKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-02 15:00:00 to 06-JAN-02 22:00:00 (EST)
Crop damage: 0
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER