First big snowstorm triggers many accidents

In the first substantial snowfall of the year, municipalities in the area got up to five inches of snow but reported no serious weather-related incidents.

Suburban police departments scrambled to deal with a number of accidents Saturday afternoon, but the Pennsylvania State Police said it hadn't dealt with any serious wrecks.

"We had the normal bumps but nothing major," said Cpl. Gerard McShea, a state police spokesman. "It was slick, and people tend to drive a little faster than they should, but it wasn't too bad."

South Jersey got mostly rain, although there were reports of accumulations of 2 to 3.5 inches in the northern parts of the state.

"Overall, it's going as expected," said Mitchell Gaines, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

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

In Bucks County, a dispatcher said in midafternoon local police were so swamped with calls she could not stay on the phone. Chester County also reported a significant number of car crashes.

Philadelphia International Airport got only traces of snow, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said. By late afternoon, the precipitation in Philadelphia had shifted to rain, but she cautioned that below-freezing temperatures later Saturday could lead to icy streets, even in areas that did not get snow, making driving potentially dangerous.

In Montgomery County, King of Prussia reported 3.6 inches of snow, and Lansdale got 1.5 inches. Wayne dealt with a 3.9-inch snowfall; Chester County's East Coventry Township reported 4.5 inches; Quakertown got 4. Berks County had the highest total in the region, 5 inches.

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

Expect lower temperatures through the week, with the mercury staying below 30 on Friday, Pydynowski said. Sunday will be blustery and cold, with a high of 36 degrees but a wind chill in the lower 20s.

"You'll definitely want to bundle up," she said.