Snow fell across Eastern Pennsylvania from the evening of the 1st into the evening of the 2nd. Snowfall averaged four to eight inches across the region, with some locally higher amounts around Philadelphia. Many snow emergencies were declared. The combination of strong winds and heavy snow made travel difficult and made it tough for road crews to keep thoroughfares opened. Numerous accidents occurred and major interstates were snarled. There were many fender benders, spin-outs and slides into other vehicles. The Mid-Atlantic AAA responded to 2,600 calls for assistance throughout their region. Most schools were closed on Monday March 2nd. Some universities and colleges in and around Philadelphia also cancelled classes. Many meetings and sporting events were postponed on the 2nd.
Snow began across the local Philadelphia area during the early evening of the 1st and spread north through the Poconos shortly after midnight EST on the 2nd. The heaviest snow associated with the nor'easter occurred farther to the east. Snow ended during the late afternoon, except during the evening in the Poconos.
The worst reported accidents occurred along Interstate 78 in Berks County on the 2nd. On Westbound Interstate 78 about 8 a.m. EST, a one vehicle accident closed one lane for about 45 minutes. At about 9 a.m. EST, on eastbound Interstate 78, two vehicles collided and one person was injured. Within the hour another seven multi-vehicle accident near exit 35 (Lenhartsville) occurred. A 45-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman were injured. A vehicle that stopped before the crash was rear ended twice. A thirteen mile stretch of the eastbound interstate was closed from Shartlesville to Krumsville until 420 p.m. EST. The eastbound closures for a little while extended to Pennsylvania State Route 100 in Lehigh County. Farther to the west at 1030 a.m. EST, two tractor trailers collided on eastbound Interstate 78 and forced the closure from exits 19 (near Strausstown) to 23 (Shartlesville). Around Noon EST, two separate four vehicle collisions occurred on westbound Interstate 78. A tractor-trailer that stopped before one accident was struck by another vehicle and the driver was injured. The westbound side of the interstate was closed until 845 p.m. EST from exit 40 (Krumsville) to exit 23 (Shartlesville). Elsewhere in Berks County, many accidents were reported in Jefferson, Richmond and Wyomissing. In Reading, the West Shore Bypass (U.S. Route 422) was slowed to a crawl after a serious accident.

In and around the local Philadelphia area, SEPTA reported day long 15 minute delays on their commuter rail lines. Amtrak had to cancel or cut back on a dozen Northeast Corridor trains. PennDot reported more than 50 vehicles became stuck on the interstates in and around the city. A tractor-trailer jack-knifed on the Schuylkill Expressway near Gladwyne (Montgomery County) forcing the closure of the westbound lanes for about an hour on the morning of the 2nd. About 245 flights were cancelled at Philadelphia International Airport. In Bucks County, a police officer was injured in a traffic accident in Bensalem. In Delaware County, traffic accidents caused about 3,000 homes and businesses to lose power.
In the Lehigh Valley, a serious accident that resulted in an injury occurred in Wilson Borough (Northampton County).  In the Poconos, two tractor-trailers collided on Interstate 80 westbound in Carbon County. Two injuries occurred and the interstate was closed. In Monroe County, accidents were reported in Lehman, Jackson, Long Pond, East Stroudsburg and Hamilton. In Jackson Township, a woman injured her hand after her vehicle skidded off the road and into a tree.
Snowfall totals included 9.5 inches in Perkasie (Bucks County), 9.0 inches in Williams Township (Northampton County), 8.4 inches in Coatesville (Chester County), 8.3 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport, 8.0 inches in East Nantmeal (Chester County), Villanova (Delaware County) and Royersford (Montgomery County), 7.5 inches in Morgantown (Berks County), 7.0 inches in Drexel Hill (Delaware County) and the Roxborough section of Philadelphia, 6.7 inches in Furlong (Bucks County), 6.3 inches in Wynnewood (Montgomery County), 6.0 inches in Exton (Chester County) and Boothwyn (Delaware County), 5.5 inches in Doylestown (Bucks County) and Emmaus (Lehigh County), 5.0 inches in Tobyhanna (Monroe County), 4.2 inches in Reading (Berks County), 4.1 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport and 4.0 inches at Delaware Water Gap (Monroe County) and Tatamy and Forks Township(Northampton County).
The winter storm was caused by a nor'easter that moved east of the region. The nor'easter low pressure system moved from the Georgia and South Carolina border at 7 a.m. EST on the 1st to about 150 miles east of the Atlantic City coast at 7 a.m. EST on the 2nd. It was passing through the Canadian Maritimes during the morning of the 3rd. Heavy snow bands associated with the gravity wave occurred during the pre-dawn hours on the 2nd when most of the heaviest snow fell.

Winter Storm in BUCKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 22:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 15:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 19:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 19:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 20:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 16:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 20:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 16:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in BERKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 22:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 16:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 22:30:00 to 02-MAR-09 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in NORTHAMPTON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-MAR-09 22:30:00 to 02-MAR-09 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in CARBON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 02-MAR-09 01:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in MONROE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 02-MAR-09 01:00:00 to 02-MAR-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter