Here's how the Pittsburgh area is preparing for the winter storm
Pittsburgh is preparing for a significant winter storm that's expected to dump inches of snow across the area this weekend.
A winter storm watch was issued for the entire area from Saturday evening through Sunday morning.
The National Weather Service Pittsburgh office is reminding people to have emergency supplies for their homes and cars, check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replenish fuel for cars and heating sources.
How much snow is Pittsburgh expected to get?
As of Thursday afternoon, the total snowfall forecast has most counties between the Interstate 70 and Interstate 80 corridors, including all of the Pittsburgh metro area, in the range of 6 to 12 inches. It's increasingly likely that these amounts will need to be bumped up and that this event performs toward the higher end of that range.
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County leaders detail plans
With some communities struggling with their salt supply, Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said the city and county are good.
"Our numbers are good right now. And we'll just see how much we get. We have to prepare for the worst," O'Connor said.
Both have their public works and emergency crews ready to go. Depending on the weather, a disaster emergency could be declared, which can help access state and federal funding.
"If something would need to happen, we can mobilize quickly," Innamorato said. "We're prepared to do snow removal and make sure that people can get to work safely and get to where they need to go."
O'Connor said the city is looking at fitting some of the park's trucks to move snow. He said in total, 18 are part of that plan, but only a few could be ready by this weekend.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said they are working with local governments along with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. PEMA will be fully activated on Saturday. Shapiro said the state trains for this and is ready.
"We're also working closely with the PUC to ensure that should we have any power outages, that we're there and able to get people back online as quickly as possible," Shapiro said.
Crews in Hempfield and Greensburg say they're ready
Crews in both Hempfield Township and Greensburg told KDKA-TV that they are stocked up on salt ahead of the storm.
"Today we received a 200-ton order of salt, so we've actually been able to replenish what we've used in the last couple of call-outs. We're well supplied for this storm," said Tom Bell, the superintendent of streets for Greensburg Public Works.
Bell said his crews cover about 75 miles of roads and alleyways. Hempfield Township said they have 2,000 tons of salt on hand, covering about 250 miles of roadways.
"Our primary focus ... will be to keep our connectors and interior roads passable for emergency responders," said Austin Erhard, the director of public works for Hempfield Township.
Crews said a challenge with the storm is just how much snow we end up getting.
"I've already contacted a couple of contractors to be on standby just in case we get more than 10 inches of snow," Bell said.
Crews said they will be focused primarily on plowing, rather than salting, during the storm. They plan to pre-treat ahead of the snow falling.
"Once we start to get into the thick of it and the snow starts falling heavy, we shut our salters off," Bell said. "We plow, plow, plow because if you're getting 8 to 10 inches of snow, you don't want to keep trying to put salt down and plowing it off."
Another challenge for crews, Bell said, will be getting around cars parked on city streets or in neighborhoods.
"Our streets are so tight in some of the neighborhoods. If you don't have to have your car parked there and you have alternative parking, please do so. Get it off the street, that way we have somewhere to put the snow."
From the time the snow starts falling to the last flakes falling, Erhart said crews will be working around the clock to clear the roads.
"Given the extended forecast for this, that it's going to be a 24-plus hour event, manpower and stamina is always a concern," Erhart said. "Making sure my guys are getting food, staying hydrated, getting a little rest in between."
Erhart is asking residents to stay home on Sunday, suggesting that if you have errands to run or need groceries, do it before the snow begins to fall.
Giant Eagle offering free grocery deliveries
Temperatures are expected to drop ahead of the storm, with lows close to 0 degrees on Saturday.
To encourage people to stay inside, Giant Eagle said it's offering free home delivery to customers on orders of at least $35. More information can be found online.
PRT warns bus routes may change
Pittsburgh Regional Transit said it's preparing for the winter storm, but if the current forecast holds, it's likely several buses will be detoured, especially in hilly areas. In that case, buses will have to stick to the main roads.
PRT said it will use snowplows to keep the busways and park and rides clear. Extra rail cars with sleet cutters will keep snow off the tracks and ice off the overhead power lines.
"A good rule of thumb is that if cars can't drive on a street, buses can't either," PRT said.