County in new jersey. Now, what constitutes a blizzard ve versus just a big snowstorm in the winds hour. The visibility is a quarter mile or less. And the combination lasts for at least three hours. Thats a very hard combination to get in this part of the country. Even the blizzard of 96, if you remember that, wtblizzard. We didnt have those technical conditions. They just kind of called it that. Nothing on the radar close by, but piece to of moisture back to the west and the gigantic piece down to the south. Tremendous amounts of moisture. So its just about the timing and the precip type. 9 00 to 10 00, the snow starts. 3 00 a. M. To 11 00 a. M. , in general, the heaviest snow. No travel during that period. Tuesday afternoon, snow continues. But the snow showers linger wednesday morning. The hour by hour shows the snow coming in at 10 00 to 11 00 tonight and getting heavy very quickly. This dark blue indicates heavy snow. And were talking potentially up to two to three inches per hour. Thats at the peak of this. Nobody is traveling during the peak of this storm. And we are tracking the latest storm here. Well go to the Lehigh Valley where we see the highest snow totals anywhere from 15 to 20 and possibly isolated amounts above that. So everywhere you see shaded here in the pink, thats where were going to see the highest snow totals. And coincidentally, these will see the highest winds as well. As we head on down through burkes county and approach the philadelphia area, well start to see the numbers taper off. But again, if youre going to be out there, lehigh, burkes, toward the pocanos, thats where well see the very heaviest of the snow totals. And its that quick burst of snow, fortunately, a lot of that will be during the overnight hours as it comes down because that is what makes it so treacherous driving. But i think many of us will be asleep at the time the heaviest burst of snow starts and perhaps starts to taper off heading throughout the morning. Nonetheless, this is going to be a treacherous area with all the roads. And again, 15 to 20 inches of that is some serious snowfall. It is round two on the roads. They are rolling back outclo. Are doing them a favor as they begin to salt as soon as the first flakes start to fall. They are at home getting some rest. There are road restrictions and other precautions being taken. They are along the state line in bucks county. And they are halfway to quakertown on the northeast extension. Crews for the turnpike typically work is no exception. I just dont think theres any reason to be on the road. If you dont have to be on the road, stay off the road. Let us do our job. And the safest place to be out here in a truck. Reporter hell be traveling close to 500 miles before and after the storm making sure the road is clear for when you get back to work. The crews will be working until all state roads are clear. Keep on going. Weve got enough equipment we can do that. Its Mother Nature. You cant do nothing else but just fight it. If you do head out, many areas are issuing snow warnings and if you are on the road, they will tow your car. They are shutting down the ez pass lanes. So if youre coming from the blue route to the turnpike, those will be shut down. At 10 00, statewide, the turnpike is down to 45 Miles Per Hour for speed restrictiorestri. Plymouth township, nbc 10 news. And the market in center city, the citys road crews are ready and waiting and have been all winter for a storm like this. We spoke to the crews in how they are preparing before the first snowfalls. Plenty of supplies to go around to treat the roads. They havent had to use much this season. Reporter thats exactly right, jim and jaqueline. The city and treat crews have already started to lay down some of t of the brine solution, but they say the mild winter has left them with more resources than they are used to. In philadelphia there are more than 50 tons of salt left in the seven salt sheds. Steven laurens cant remember having that much left. We have watched as truck after truck was filled to the top. The city Streets Department wont start salting until it starts snowing. Cheryl partlow isnt going to wait that long. I have to be prepared with my salt. Reporter she was one of hundreds heading to the Grocery Stores this afternoon. Eggs and milk like almost every, right . Reporter almost everyone is eager for the storm. Snow is fun, right . Snow is fun. Reporter at the height of the storm, the city will have 400 pieces of equipment and 800 city workers on the streets plowing or salting. Usually we are winding down and getting ready to go into paving system by this point. Reporter laurens says they will start with primary roads and emergency routes. Just be patient. Well get out there. Were going to attempt to make every street in the city passable. Reporter patience is going to be a key. If you are waiting for your street to get cleared this time tomorrow, remember, the city Streets Department has more than 2200 miles of streets to work on throughout philadelphia. Were live in center city, reporting for nbc 10 news. In the Lehigh Valley, the crews were coating the roads with brine today to keep you safe out there. You can see the yellow trucks spraying the solution. Next comes the salt. Governor tom olson is urging the people of pennsylvania to get set for what is headed this way. Within the past hour, he provided an update on the states preparations. The bottom line . If you dont have to go out on the roads, then stay put. I cannot stress this point enough, whether you are driving a compact car or driving a tractortrailer. If you put yourself and other people at risk if you go out into this weather. Thats just the way it works. The governor also stressed the importance of having emergency supplies on hand at home. Our coverage of the storm is just getting started. Our live reporters are spread around the region to show you what to expect in your neighborhood. In ten minutes, tim furlong will be live in delaware. At 4 30 well go live to the jersey shore where people are getting ready for high winds and flooding there. And at 5 00 p. M. , well go to burlington county. 5 30, well have Brandon Hudson live in the Lehigh Valley. And now is a good time to make sure you have the free nbc 10 app. If you have kids in school, youll get an alert the minute your son or Daughters School decides to close or open late. Thats a good thing to have right now. Other news now, two people recovering after they were hurt in this house fire in philadelphia. This morning, look at the flames and smoke captured by skyforce 10 overhead. This was on north 23rd street in nice town. Its not clear what started this fire. Lawmakers are pressuring President Trump to provide proof that the Obama Administration tapped its phones. They want the department of justice to deliver their claims by the end of the day. The president asked congress to investigate. And Senior AdviserKellyanne Conway said the white house is happy congress is doing so. The president called for the house and Senate Intelligence committees to add this piece of the investigation into the existing investigation and hes pleased that is happening. We wont really comment further until those findings are compiled. Republican senator john mccain is telling the Trump Administration to either provide evidence of the wiretapping by today or issue a retraction. A week after President Trump signed version two of the travel ban, pennsylvania lawmakers are taking new steps to crack down on undocumented immigrants. A group of republicans introduced a package of bills today to make it harder for undocumented immigrants to obtain jobs and benefits in pennsylvania. We have to make sure to defend the constitution, uphold the law and defend the lives, liberty and property of american citizens and those who have chosen to immigrate here the legal way. Another bill introduced today targets socalled sanctuary cities like philadelphia that offer safe harbor for undocumented immigrants. It would establish criminal and economic sanctions against those cities. Happening now, joe biden is teaming up with the university of delaware. The former Vice President is on campus this afternoon as the school opens the biden institute, thats a Research Center focused on developing Public Policy solutions on issues like economic reform, the environment and civil rights. Joe biden will serve as its founding chair. Life is getting easier for septa riders today. Commuters can buy and reload their key cards at more locations. Septa now has kiosks for key cards on the market frankfurt line, the broad street line and riders can load up the cards with up to 250 and eliminate the need for tokens and passes. The Penn State Administration officials have said two officials pled guilty. Tim curley and gary schultz each pled guilty today. Schultz was the universitys Vice President. They handled a xlcomplaint by a graduate assistant who said he say Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in the shower but did not report it to everyone. Graham spaniard is also charge in the case, but he was not in court today. Prisons in delaware are getting a boost in security on increased staffing coming in the wake of the deadly prison revolt last month that left a corrections officer dead. Today Governor Carney announced more than 340,000 in new security equipment and another Million Dollars worth of security to be include in the budget for next year. And also in the budget, a plan to add 50 Correctional Officers at the james t. Vaughan correctional center. Thats the prison where inmates took officers hostage and killed one of them. Changing gears here, theres big eagles news today. In fact, your old nick foles jerseys have new life this afternoon. Foles is coming back to the eagles. Hes returning as a backup for carson wen. He agreed to a twoyear deal today. He left the eagles in 2014 after breaking his collarbone. And the major winter storm set to hit our area in a couple hours. Delaware could see the first of this system as rain. The crews have been loading up to treat the corridor. Tim furlong is live in New Castle County. This storm is bringing excitement for many but still consciousness as well. Reporter this is fun and festive for a lot of people, but we do have to make it seriously. Some of the teachers and students are hoping for a day off. They are pretty geeked up about it. Not so geeked up are restaurants like cafe gilatto. They have had people sitting out on the patio eating. It wont happen tomorrow or probably not for quite a few days. This is legit. Reporter this is the engineer from New Castle County after storms petered out. They are convinced they will do plowing during this one. They are loading up the salt getting ready. Its time for all of us to get our mind ride. Today is the day to get ready for the snowstorm. Reporter at this suburban equipment store, they already sold their last snow blower. Trying to get out to make sure they operate properly, lubricate all moving parts and be ready, be prepared. Reporter this guy bought a fancy plow truck. A tough time to find out it doesnt work. And at this home depot, we were there as they brought the snow and snow blowers back out. We literally dropped everything right back down now. Reporter im glad i still had nbc 10 ice scrapers to hand out to folks today. You didnt think you would need those anymore, did you . Not at all, but we are going to need it. Reporter back out here live, a couple students are hoping for a day off. My wife is a teacher, i went out and gassed up my snow blower. They think i jinxed them. You can go through there, thats okay. They say i jinxed it. Tonight youll be sure i am one of those people sitting outside praying for the first flakes to be falling, otherwise im in the doghouse, guys. We are live in newark on main street, tim fur long, nbc 10 news. We do not want you no the doghouse. Thats why we have firstalert glenn hurricane schwartz here to keep an eye on the latest changes to this forecast. Glenn . Tim, you wont be in the doghouse because theres no storm this is a big storm. Its just a matter of details. Theres traffic live on i95 south. Its not going to look like that tomorrow morning. As a matter of fact, you may not even be able to see the road from that camera tomorrow morning when there would be a rush hour. We have a blizzard warning. Thats the latest information north and west of philadelphia. Its all snow. At least 12 inches. And many places north and west are going to get a lot more than that. Heavy snow on the i95 corridor including philly and wilmington. Changing to sleet and rain, which will cut down on the snow totals. So it wont be quite as much as the northern western areas. Still a big snowstorm. Southern delaware and the jersey shore, mostly rain. The issue there is the wind and the coastal flooding. Heres the blizzard warning, every county north and west of philadelphia, except for Delaware County and once again that includes high winds, low visibility for at least three hours. Its hard to get at this portion of the country. The coastal Flood Warning covers the entire coast. High tide is about 9 30 in Atlantic City. Expect moderate coastal flooding. The first radar echos are getting close to washington already. That is moving up fast. And we also have the snow area moving in from the west. These two things are going to combine. But this is just a tremendous area of moisture. And the computer models are putting out as much total precipitation as you can see in a 12hour period. So the tidal flooding, just minor flooding tonight. And moderate tomorrow morning. Its just one high tide you have to worry about at the shore. But its going to be a nasty high tide. Right now its 40 degrees. Above freezing everywhere, but the roads are still cold from all of that cold spell that we did have. Now, you can see as we go through the evening, the snow spreads up quickly. The darker blue indicating heavier snow. So its getting heavy pretty fast as well. And so, by the time you get up in the morning, theres going to be at least six inches of snow on the ground from the philadelphia area northward. Now, it gets complicated down in delaware and south jersey because the yellow is rain. Maybe heavy rain falling. Look at that orange. That would be heavy rain, maybe thunderstorms. The pink area would be sleet. That makes the snow kind of crunchy to walk on. And complicates things as well. Even in the big storm of 93 in march, we had a foot of snow in philly followed by quite a bit of sleet. But then youre getting heavy snow north and west, maybe even thunder snow. So it is going to be wild around here between 7 00 and 9 00 in the morning. This computer model has the sleet going up through the philadelphia area. And, of course, the farther north it goes, the less snow is going to fall in any one of those places. But as the storm tracks up toward new england, its going to pull the cold air back. And so if we go to snow, to sleet, to rain, it goes back to snow. But not nearly as heavy. This is late in the afternoon, that is light snow and not adding to the accumulation very much. By then, well already have plenty. Meteorologist tammy suza tracking the snow showers region by region with the latest numbers for the short countor s counties. One area we are watching is the jersey shore and the southern counties into southern new jersey and delaware. Take a look at two pieces of the storm system coming together as glenn pointed out. The moisture coming from the south and this cold air from the west. This is going to complicate. Here in the philadelphia area, also into new jersey, all the way down the jersey shore and into delaware, we are not really looking at anything right now. Just the high, thin, cirrus clouds are moving in. This is what we are expecting to see when it is all done. Whether you are going to see this heavier amount of rain here along the jersey shore, along the coastline, thats where we are probably going to see nothing. You may get a little snow starting to fall, but i think youll wind up with heavy rain. Its a pretty clear demarcation north of the metro area. And you start heading into the lehigh burkes area and into the pocanos. Thats where we start to see the heavy totals. So the shades of blue here, this is what were going to see for some of the counties. If you are gloucester county, if youre in gloucester, it could be four to eight inches. Eight could be stretching it with the rain coming in. Down to cape may and over to parts of delaware, you will see rain and a little sleek on the backside with light snow falling into the rain. Well cover one of the other areas coming up in just a few minutes. Jim in ja jim . Jackie . Thats why the neighborhood forecasts are important. The storm will be different depending on where you are. This is a classic noreaster in the winter. Weve seen storms like this in the past. 93, the storm in march, somewhat similar with tremendous contrasts across our area. And the only way you can cover is neighborhood by neighborhood. Because you cant just say, oh, big snowstorm because they are in Atlantic City saying, with ehad a bigger snowstorm a couple months ago. So you have to go neighborhood by neighborhood on this. It varies depending on where you are. Keep watching nbc 10. Youre watching it closely. And this different threat down the shore. As we mentioned, its not so much the snow were worried about, but the strong winds and coastal flooding. Local businesses are not taking any chances. Still ahead at 4 30, how they are boarding up and bearing down for the storm. Plus, a local grandmother thought she was getting her grandson a Great Holiday gift. But when she had to return it, she dealt with a christmas grinch. How nbc 10 responds step in to get her money back. And spirited sendoff. The villanova wildcats are greeted by some of their biggest fans as they set out to accomplish something no one has seen in a decade. Here is a look at the clo