Storms in Pennsylvania, N.Y., and N.J.

Back-to-back nor'easters - the first two of the season - brought heavy rains, winds, and flooding to the Shore while soaking Philadelphia and dropping snow across higher elevations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.

The first storm left yesterday as the second bore down this weekend with more precipitation. It is expected to head out to sea late tomorrow night.

Some sun should return by Monday and temperatures will rise into the high 50s, forecasters said.

In the meantime, Shore counties will be under a coastal flood warning. Some street flooding is anticipated, and high winds and surf could further erode beaches.

The first part of the storm gave some New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents an early taste of winter. Sections of Sussex and Morris Counties in the northwest corner of New Jersey had flurries that left a white frosting.

More snow is predicted this weekend. Sussex County is expected to receive up to four inches, forecasters said.

In Pennsylvania, State College has already received more than four inches, with two more inches possible by this morning, the National Weather Service said. The snowfall Thursday was the earliest since one-tenth of an inch fell on Oct. 18, 1901.

Port Allegany in northwestern Pennsylvania and Perrysburg in western New York have more than three inches of snow, with most areas east of Lake Erie reporting two inches or less.

Parts of Lehigh County are expecting snow tonight into tomorrow morning, but little or no accumulation is expected.

In Philadelphia, rain is anticipated today and tomorrow with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, the National Weather Service said.

The one-two punch of precipitation and wind has played havoc with communities along the Jersey coast.

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management said it expected minor to moderate flooding this weekend in coastal, back bay, and river communities across the state.

Emergency management personnel have long identified the "usual suspects" - Shore locations that almost always flood when a nor'easter or a heavy rainstorm hits at high tide.

That was the case Thursday night into yesterday as flooding reports came in from Atlantic City to Ocean City to Sea Isle City.

In Sea Isle, 15 students on a school bus headed to Ocean City High School had to be rescued by EMTs and police when the vehicle got stuck in a large pool of water in a low area along John F. Kennedy Boulevard. No injuries were reported, police said.

Police in Ocean City closed the Ninth Street Bridge and causeway yesterday morning because of flooding. The area, part of a huge construction project to replace the bridge and roadway, is historically prone to flooding and was especially vulnerable because of the road work, said Ocean City Emergency Management Director Frank Donato.

Portions of the Route 40 (Black Horse Pike) and Route 30 (White Horse Pike) causeways leading into and out of Atlantic City were also temporarily closed.

As the first nor'easter headed out to sea yesterday, officials began assessing what appeared to be moderate beach erosion. In Margate, Ventnor, and Ocean City, cliffs of sand as tall as six feet had been carved into dunes along the beachfront.

This weekend's storm is striking as the first phase of a new moon moves in and brings higher tides.