Pocono News Section

An Early Taste of Winter in NEPA

An Early Taste of Winter in NEPA - Friday, October 16, 2009 at 3:50PM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Friday, Oct 16, 2009 @ 03:50pm EDT
FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY - Many people living in the higher elevations had to grab their snow brushes before they hit the road Friday morning. That included the Mountaintop area of Luzerne County.

It meant an early call to winter duty for PENNDOT crews.
They were busy in the higher elevations of Luzerne County keeping Route 309 in the Mountaintop area and other roads safe.
Traveling those roads, some drivers who aren't quite ready for winter weather.
Ron Wojtosh stopped at the Good To Go gas station to fuel up -- and take this early taste of winter in stride.
"You got to live through it. I've been up here for over 25 years. So, I'm used to it already," said Ron Wojtosh of Mountaintop

Jacob Wengrocki woke up to find snow on his pickup.
The Wright Township man thinks that might happen a lot given something he's noticed.
"I've seen white caterpillars... a lot of white caterpillars. And that means we're going to have a tough winter," said Wengrocki.

By daybreak you could see the heavy snow clinging to trees and power lines all along Route 309.
Some folks did what they could to keep that heavy snow from snapping tree branches.
Elsewhere on Nuangola Road, a crew handling a state project works on keeping trees from causing road hazards before they can become a problem.
Meanwhile, despite the nuisance snow school kids board their busses on time -- at least this time.

"I love snow," said Crestwood School District student Erin Tollinger while waiting at her school bus stop.
When asked if she wished it were a snow day she said, "Yeah, I wish there was more snow."
Her bus driver felt the same way.
"It don't bother me none," said Crestwood Bus Driver Wayne Stair. "I wish it would stick to the roads more, I love snow."

As for those roads, they were slushy at worst in the Mountaintop area and improving by late morning.
While largely it was just a nuisance snow -- keep in mind it did happen more than 9-weeks before winter officially arrives.