Local

Temperature could tie record low overnight; State of emergency declared in McKeesport

PITTSBURGH — The temperature could tie a record low overnight, according to Chief Meteorologist Stephen Cropper.

"Tonight will remain dry but cold with a low of minus 1. The record is minus 1, which was set back on March 4, 1943," said Cropper.

Meantime, McKeesport is under a state of emergency.  The mayor signed the declaration due to a critical salt shortage.

"This declaration of disaster has been deemed necessary due to the unanswered requests for road salt. Previous to this event, we have been on backorder of salt since Feb. 10, 2014," Mayor Michael E. Cherepko said.   "Although a typical order of salt takes one to three days to be delivered, we have yet to receive this order. We have diligently rationed our remaining salt supply over the past few weeks, but it was critically depleted due to two house fires over the weekend.   We are exhausting all of our efforts in collaboration with all local, county and state agencies."

On Monday night, Channel 11's Brandon Hudson talked to students affected.

"You always wish for snow and to stay home, but at the same time since I'm a senior, I kind of want to get out of school," said Kiyam Amsari.

All schools in McKeesport will remain closed until Wednesday.

In Morgantown, W.Va., West Virginia University classes were canceled Monday after the county there declared a state of emergency.

Most of the Channel 11 viewing area was spared the worst of a storm that produced dangerous ice and up to a foot of snow in some parts of the nation, but black ice and snowy side streets remained an issue Monday morning.

Cropper said the storm moved about 100 miles south of where storm tracking technology showed it originally going.

"In general, the cold air moved in faster and farther south. The southern storm tracked east and less north, thus taking the heaviest snow about 100 miles south of Pittsburgh. Many cities that have battled with a lack of salt supplies can breathe a sigh of relief as we have dodged a bullet," Cropper said.