Wintry mix of precipitation to emerge from Groundhog Day

TUSCARAWAS CO. (WJER) (Feb. 2, 2022) – Regional forecasters say they don’t have much time for Punxsutawney Phil or his prognostications today with a significant winter storm to track.
Tuscarawas County has a winter storm watch beginning after midnight.
Pittsburgh National Weather Service meteorologist Pat Herold says we could see some of everything.
“Kind of a mixed bag of precipitation you’re going to get into. It’ll just start there as rain, you’re going to have the potential for freezing rain, some sleet, some snow into early Friday.”
The Ohio Department of Transportation says it won’t be able to pre-treat the roads because the rain would wash away the material, but plows will be out once it turns to snow.
American Electric Power is asking for patience if your lights go out since the snow and ice can be treacherous for restoration crews and delay their response times.
Herold says despite the mild weather in recent days, spring is still a ways off for us.
“Just look for the next several weeks to be seasonable. It is early February; it’s going to be like that. It’s still winter.”
Herold says forecasters in Pittsburgh don’t actually get into Groundhog Day or travel to Punxsutawney to cover it.
“It’s kind of irrelevant to us, it’s a folklore thing. We just don’t deal with it professionally.”

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