Lehigh Valley preparing for early-season snowstorm: "It's a little bit challenging this early on"
The salt yard is stocked and the plow trucks are ready to roll. The Lehigh Valley is preparing for snow with the first winter storm of the season less than 24 hours out.
The region covering Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania is expected to see measurable snow Tuesday. Allentown Public Works and PennDOT crews are spending Monday getting ready before the first flakes fall.
PennDOT says winter preparations begin in September, but now the first snowstorm in the Lehigh Valley is knocking on its door.
In Allentown, crews likened snow cleanup to riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, it becomes second nature, they told CBS News Philadelphia.
"We're going to have trucks out this afternoon and the evening anti-icing ahead of time," Ron Young with PennDOT's District 5 said.
Crews at PennDOT's District 5 stockpile in South Whitehall are busy prepping for whatever Mother Nature brings Tuesday.
"Ideally, we would want all snow with a winter event," Young said, "but we don't know for sure what's going to happen with that rain, snow line."
PennDOT District 5 is responsible for some 3,000 miles of roads.
In the southern part of the coverage area — Lehigh, Berks and Northampton counties — the system could bring both snow and rain depending on the track.
Refreezing on the roadways is also concerning.
"We'll keep crews on overnight tomorrow night into Wednesday morning to make sure things stay melted," Young said, "and stay clear for people to get where they need to go."
Tuesday's storm is set to bring snow during the morning rush hour in the Allentown area before changing over to rain.
Allentown Public Works says it's in good shape with a barn full of about 3,000 tons of salt to start the season.
Crews were out Monday loading trucks with salt, mounting plows and installing salt spreaders onto trucks as well.
Overnight, Public Works crews will salt-brine the 400-plus miles of roadway in the city.
"It's a little bit challenging getting the storm this early on. We're still in our process of our leaf collection program," Public Works Director Mark Shahda said. "We still have a couple of weeks to go with our leaf collection program, so any snow we do get that becomes plowable, the main focus is going to be clear the roadways. But we're also going to try to avoid plowing those leaves back onto the curbs and sidewalks."
The crews in Allentown are also keeping a close watch on a storm system that's headed toward the area Friday that could bring more snow.
Both PennDOT and Allentown Public Works crews will remain out until the roads are passable.