Are You Ready for the Next Big Storm?

Heavy snow, sleet, rain and coastal flooding expected starting tonight.

Did you know that tonight’s storm will be the ninth storm of the winter? Or had you lost count?

6ABC sets the scene:

The National Weather Service has issued WINTER STORM WARNINGS for the bulk of the Delaware Valley tonight through Thursday for a major nor’easter that has the potential for heavy snow, sleet, rain and coastal flooding. While this will be our ninth storm, it will be our first true nor’easter of the season. For some, it will have the season’s biggest impact.

THURSDAY: A nor’easter rolls up the coast, bringing a combination of snow, ice and rain to the region. The precipitation will likely be mainly snow in the NW suburbs. In Philadelphia, we begin as snow before a change to an icy mix and perhaps a period of rain before a change back to snow at night. Closer to the coast, we see rain for most of Thursday before a change to ice and then snow at night. The exact storm track is uncertain at this time and the exact amount and location of rain and ice mixing-in is hard to pinpoint.At this point, we expect 6″ to 10″ from I-95, including Philadelphia, into interior SE NJ

CBS 3 on PECO’s efforts:

More than 6,000 PECO employees, contractors and out of state workers are still in the area helping a few who remain without power on day seven.

While restoration efforts are winding down, another storm is headed our way.

PECO plans to keep as many people as possible in place, but the weather could make some of the region’s helping hands, head home.

“Many of the crews we have working on our service territory right now may not be available because they may have to go back to their utilities to help support their relief efforts,” said PECO Spokesman Ben Armstrong.

NewsWorks adds:

PECO’s Fred Maher says utility workers have spent a week fixing the outages from the icestorm, but preventive maintenance can’t be done right now.

“The tree trimming crews that we’ve used traditionally for planned trimming are already out there doing work related to the storm,” Maher said. “We would do very little proactive tree trimming at this point.”

Maher says what PECO’s crews are doing is trying to strengthen the power delivery system before the next storm moves into the region.

Oh, and if you plan on buying rock salt today to help clear your sidewalk tomorrow: Don’t.

The Home Depot store on Roosevelt Boulevard got a shipment of about 800 bags of salt, but sold out quickly.

However, shoppers and store owners aren’t the only ones seeing a shortage of salt. Some municipalities may not be 100 percent ready for this next storm.

Southampton Township Administrator Kathleen Hoffman says,“The rationing of the salt has become even more difficult.”

The town needs 150 tons of salt per snow storm and they only have 75 tons. They will only be able to salt essential roads & intersections.