Snow storm triggers numerous car accidents

Suburban police departments scrambled to deal with numerous accidents in the wake of a winter storm Saturday afternoon, with some localities reporting up to 3-and-a-half inches of snow by midafternoon.

In Montgomery County, emergency dispatchers said they had been "slammed" with reports of weather-related car accidents. In Lower Salford, a two-car collision resulted in a 3-year-old being briefly trapped in a car seat. The toddler was freed and no injuries were reported, police said.

In Bucks County, a dispatcher said local police were so swamped with calls that she couldn't even stay on the phone, while Chester County units also reported significant number of car crashes.

Philadelphia International Airport only saw traces of snow, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said. By late afternoon, snow falling in Philadelphia had been reduced to rain -- but she cautioned that below-freezing temperatures later Saturday could lead to icy streets, making driving conditions potentially dangerous.

Chester County saw 3.5 inches of snow, while Montgomery County saw 2.9 inches. Delaware County had just 1.6 inches by midafternoon Saturday, and the Mount Holly, N.J. National Weather Service reported 0.1 inches of snow.

"Philadelphia was basically on that rain/snow line," Pydynowski said.

Brisk temperatures are expected to continue throughout the evening, with a low of 28 and winds picking up later Saturday night. Residents can expect lower temperatures through the next week, with temperatures next Friday staying below 30 degrees, Pydynowski said.

Contact Aubrey Whelan at 215-854-2703, at awhelan@philly.com or on Twitter at @aubreyjwhelan.