What to know ahead of Tuesday's winter storm

A winter storm will bring snow and a wintry mix of rain on Tuesday, beginning at around 3 a.m. and lasting throughout most of the day.

A departing high pressure system is what sets the stage for a coastal low arriving Dec. 2 and bringing the region a mix of rain, snow and some brief icing.

Because the system is coming in later and warmer than earlier forecasts suggested, snow totals have trended down with meaningful accumulation now most likely north of Interstate 78 and in the higher elevations of the Poconos.

The Lehigh Valley will keep temperatures below freezing, causing more solid snow throughout the day, totaling one to three inches.

The Poconos will experience even more snow with the total accumulation between three to five inches and up to six inches at higher elevations.

Heavy rain can be expected for Philadelphia, Delaware County, Montgomery County, South Jersey and Delaware, with things mostly tapering off by 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

With plowable snow expected in Pennsylvania, crews began to treat lanes along the 565-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike system on Monday, said the agency’s press secretary, Marissa Orbanek.

Vehicle restrictions on many interstates in the eastern half of Pennsylvania, including on the turnpike system’s Northeast Extension, from the Lehigh Valley to Clarks Summit, will be imposed starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

More than 600 equipment operators and safety workers are available to help clear the turnpike’s 2,900 miles of lanes, Orbanek said. The turnpike’s winter staffing schedule began in mid-November and 23 maintenance sheds are staffed around the clock.

“We really prepare for snow all year long,” Orbanek said.

Everything tapers off Tuesday night as colder air returns which could create some slick spots by Wednesday morning.

To see if your school is opening late, or is closed for Tuesday, click here.

Track the storm and get the latest updates by downloading the NBC10 app and following the NBC10 First Alert Weather team.