By News-Item Staff
It was a snowy and slippery Saturday.
That was good for sledders. Not so good for motorists.
The final weekend of 2012 dawned with the week's third - and largest - snowfall, which started just before dawn and dropped snow steadily throughout the morning hours before tapering off throughout the afternoon.
Snow totals averaged 4 inches across Northumberland County and the state, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Tony Mach said Saturday evening. He said some areas had 5 inches, some only 3.
This accumulation doesn't take into account the white stuff already on the ground from the previous two storms from earlier this week, one on Christmas Eve and a second on Wednesday. There could easily be 6 to 7 inches on the ground in some places, he said.
Local residents should expect partly sunny skies today with high temperatures hovering around 30 degrees and wind coming in from the northwest at 10 to 15 mph, Mach reported.
Tonight will be partly cloudy with an overnight low temperature of 15 degrees and wind from the west at 5 to 10 mph, he said.
New Year's Eve day will continue this weather pattern - party sunny in the morning and mainly cloudy by the afternoon, with high temperatures in the low 30s, he said. New Year's Eve night will be cloudy as well and chilly, with low temperatures in the 20s.
Once New Year's Day rolls around, there is a 30 percent chance of snow showers, with high temperatures in the lower 30s, he said.
No other winter precipitation is expected in the coming days, Mach said.