EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — The early morning commute Monday was dangerous in some areas before roads were plowed.
In Pittston Township, the roads look much better in the afternoon compared to Monday morning. A winter storm wreaked havoc on Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, creating many issues for drivers. Overnight restrictions left tractor-trailer drivers stranded.
“We’re not allowed on the highways after we’re empty. I guess according to PA, so that means I’m stuck here,” said Emile Morin, Iowa trucker.
Over six inches of snow in the Poconos created other issues for the morning commute.
“We had to come out here. My son-in-law got stuck and ran out of gas. So, now we’re here getting gas to get him unstuck,” explained Robin Hess, Pocono Lake.
At the corner of Wayne, Monroe and Lackawanna counties, cleanup efforts are underway and making some very large snow piles.
PennDOT and private contractors worked to make roads passable, but even with their hard work, road conditions were still dangerous during the early morning hours.
“I went outside and realized it was a whiteout instantly. So I was like, oh well this is the test 4×4. I drove to Coaldale. For a normal person, it was really scary the whole entire time,” said Christopher Josiah, Coaldale.
It was scary for natives like Christopher Josiah driving to Schuylkill County and Uber drivers like Timothy Brookins who came all the way from New York.
“I had a trip from Binghamton to the Bronx to Binghamton. That’s where I’m coming from. It’s raining up there but it is snowing down here,” said Brookins.
Depending on where you are throughout Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, you could’ve woken up to several inches of snow or primarily wet pavement. But everyone saw the impact of this winter storm one way or another.
The area is not totally out of this yet and drivers should still use caution when heading out Monday afternoon.
Keep checking Eyewitness Weather for the latest updates on the weather conditions throughout the area.