Centre County gets snow, school districts announce early dismissals

Let it snow.

Not everyone will welcome the winter weather central Pennsylvania is known for, but it’s finally here.

Centre County will get its first measurable snow Tuesday for the winter season.

It is a first, according to the National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Evanego. AccuWeather meteorologist Carl Erickson also told the Centre Daily Times in December that the latest snowfall ever reported in the county was on Dec. 20, 1982, when 1.82 inches of snow fell.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reduced the speed limit on Interstate 80 in Clearfield and Centre counties, urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel. The speed limit is 45 miles per hour.

Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District dismissed high school and middle school students at noon and elementary students left at 1 p.m.

State College Area High school, middle school and all Delta Program students were dismissed at 1:30 p.m., and elementary school students were dismissed at 2:30 p.m. All after-school student activities are canceled.

Bald Eagle Area School District dismissed elementary students at 1:30 p.m. dismissal and all other students were dismissed at 1:40 p.m. All Penns Valley Area School District students were let out an hour earlier than normal, and after-school activities were canceled. Bellefonte Area School District dismissed high school and middle school students at 12:45 p.m., elementary students an hour later and all after-school activities were canceled.

Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania charter school also reported an early dismissal, with pick-up starting at 1:30 p.m. Centre Learning Community will begin dismissal at 1 p.m. Nittany Valley Charter School will let kids leave starting at 2 p.m.

Parochial schools are also following suit. St. Joseph’s dismissed at 1 p.m., with Our Lady of Victory releasing students to parents at 1 p.m. OLV’s State College area students were bused at 1:15 p.m., Bellefonte students at noon and PV students at 1 p.m. St. John the Evangelist Catholic School dismissed students at 1:45 p.m.

Evanego said State College could get about an inch of snow Tuesday and the northern parts of the county could get up to three inches.

“We have an Alberta clipper, a low, quick moving pressure system going across the Great Lakes this morning,” Evanego said. “That will drag a cold front across our area and bring some squalls of heavier snow and gusty winds, up to 40 miles per hour.”

The heavier squalls of snow will likely be spread across the afternoon.

There are no NWS alerts for Centre County.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Centre County gets snow, school districts announce early dismissals."