Ice, blamed for accidents, to persist into night

Patchy freezing rain continues in parts of the region, and frozen precipitation is expected to persist well into the night, raising fresh concerns about road-icing.

The National Weather Service has posted a winter-weather advisory for the entire region until 6 a.m. Tuesday, and precipitation could become all snow -- albeit not much -- before it ends.

With temperatures below freezing -- 30 at Philadelphia International Airport -- and the sun calling it a day, any untreated road surfaces on overpasses and bridges could become slippery, said the weather service's Valerie Meola.

AAA Midatlantic warned of a "dangerous drive ahead" for some of the region's motorists.

Early-morning freezing rain had resulted in a rash of accidents, with Bucks County dispatchers reporting they were flooded with reports of crashes and disabled vehicles.

They said they also were dealing with calls for people falling on the ice. Dispatchers said no serious injuries or pileups were reported.

New Jersey State Police said they responded to at least 78 crashes between midnight and shortly after 10 a.m. Monday.

In the morning, cold air seeped slightly farther south than had been anticipated, and temperatures were a critical degree or two lower, said Meola.

They did not rebound during the day.

Fortunately, the February sun - albeit a hidden force Monday - has been gaining strength, and might have helped inhibit freezing on treated roads during the day.

Late in the day, however, mixed precipitation could change to snow, and accumulate a half-inch or so, she said.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was warning drivers that bridges, overpasses and shaded roadways were most likely to become icy.

SEPTA said riders using its CCT Connect paratransit service may face delays of up to an hour due to the ice. Patrons can call 215-580-7720 to check the status of their rides.

At Philadelphia International Airport inbound flights were being delyaed just over an hour due to low clouds, according to flightaware.com. Departures were being delayed by about a half-hour.