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Wolf Declares State Of Emergency For Pennsylvania Ahead Of Nor'easter

HARRISBURG (CBS) -- Gov. Tom Wolf has declared a state of emergency for Pennsylvania ahead of Wednesday's nor'easter.

Utility Crews Rush To Restore Power For Thousands

The state of emergency included the following counties: Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Columbia, Dauphin, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming and York.

"We are working with state agency partners to make sure county emergency management coordinators have quick and unfettered access to state resources as they're needed," Wolf said in a statement. "We also cannot emphasize enough the need for the public to take these storm warnings seriously, stay tuned to local media for weather updates and avoid any unnecessary travel."

Earlier in the day, Wolf announced highway restrictions on Pennsylvania roadways. PennDOT will be imposing a ban beginning at midnight on empty straight trucks, large combination vehicles, tractors hauling empty trailers, trailers pulled by passenger vehicles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles, or RVs on these highways:

Interstate 78 from the junction with Interstate 81 in Lebanon County to the New Jersey line.

  • I-80 from the junction with Interstate 81 to the New Jersey line.
  • I-81 from the Maryland line to the New York State line.
  • I-84 from the junction with Interstate 81 to the New York State line.
  • I-380 from the junction with Interstate 80 to the junction with Interstate 81.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will also prohibit these vehicles from traveling the northeastern extension between the Lehigh Tunnel and Clarks Summit.

Also, all commercial vehicles will be banned on I-380 and I-84 within Pennsylvania.

At the same time, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will prohibit these vehicles from traveling the northeastern extension between the Lehigh Tunnel and Clarks Summit.

Second Nor'easter Of March Expected To Dump Heavy Snow On Region

Additionally, at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, all commercial vehicles will be banned on I-380 and I-84 within Pennsylvania.

"This storm may not have the extremely high winds as the one last week, but it will dump significant amounts of snow across a wider area and that prospect is moving us to take additional aggressive steps to restrict heavier vehicles from the interstates," Wolf said in a statement. "We must remember that weather is to a large extent unpredictable, but we are doing our utmost to station resources in as effective a way as possible."

Up to a foot of snow could fall in some parts.

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