Winter already? State College could see chilly temperatures, season’s first snow
A taste of winter weather is expected in Happy Valley next week.
The latest AccuWeather forecasts call for chilly temperatures and even a chance of the first snow of the season in State College next Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to top out around 39 degrees once a batch of frigid air moves through central Pennsylvania .
Bob Larson, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said steady winds between around 10 and 15 mph could make temperatures feel even cooler in State College. He estimates the agency’s RealFeel temperature index will measure out in the 20s during the day on Tuesday as winds become stronger.
“We haven’t had anything near that since March, so this should be a real shock to the system,” Larson said.
The batch of cold air may be accompanied by a few snowflakes, snow showers or even a brief snow squall, Larson said. Any snow that falls could reduce visibility outdoors and build up on grass surfaces and rooftops, but the warm ground should keep snow from accumulating on roads.
Wet surfaces could freeze overnight on Monday and Tuesday, Larson warned. Both days are expected to feature low temperatures between 28 and 31 degrees.
Though it might feel like winter for a few days in Centre County, Larson says those conditions will rebound soon enough. Fluctuating temperatures and conditions are typical in transitional months like November, he said.
“Especially since it’s early in November, it’s not likely to last,” Larson said. “It’s not as though it’s going to be like this from now until St. Patrick’s Day. There will be a recovery as the week after next rolls along, and we could easily be back in the 50s toward 60 again.”
High temperatures in State College are expected to rise back into the upper 40s by Wednesday and Thursday, according to AccuWeather. Forecasts for the next few weeks call for high temperatures back in the mid-50s by mid-November.
State College typically sees its first measurable snowfall in the middle of November, according to National Weather Service archive data. Since 2000, the average date of the first measurable snowfall in State College is Nov. 20.
State College first saw snow on Nov. 23 ahead of the 2024-25 winter season, according to NWS records. The area received roughly 20.5 inches of snow over the season, falling well short of the 43.4 inches of snow an average season would produce.
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