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Old-timers may question whether Friday night's wallop was as severe as the Thanksgiving "super-storm" of November 1950, the so-called "Storm of the Century" of March 1993, or even the blizzard of January 1977.

But there's no question that the Mon-Yough area took its fair share (and a little more) of a massive snowstorm that gripped the northeastern United States overnight.

As of 7 a.m. today, official National Weather Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spotters had measured nine inches of snow on the ground in Charleroi, 13 inches in Elizabeth, 14 inches in Braddock, and a whopping 22 inches in East McKeesport.

Forecasters said the region could pick up another two to four inches this afternoon. A winter storm warning remains in effect through 6 p.m. Saturday night.

City, Neighboring Towns Declare Emergency: McKeesport Mayor James Brewster has declared an emergency in the city. Other Mon-Yough communities have also declared emergencies, including the City of Clairton; the boroughs of Elizabeth, Glassport, Jefferson Hills, Lincoln, Munhall, West Elizabeth and White Oak; the municipality of Monroeville; and Elizabeth Township.

City residents who lack heat or electricity are being asked to go to the Palisades Ballroom, Fifth Avenue at Water Street, where a "warming station" has been opened.

Other warming stations are located at Central Volunteer Fire Department, 425 Scenery Dr., Elizabeth Township; West Mifflin Volunteer Fire Co. No. 3, 3722 Rodeo Drive; and Rainbow Volunteer Fire Co., 2916 Jacks Run Road, White Oak.

Water Conservation Urged: In addition, due to a power outage at one of its pumping stations, Pennsylvania-American Water Co. has asked all Mon-Yough area households on its system to conserve water until further notice.

Residents connected to the Penn-American system are asked not to take showers or run dishwashers and other water-using appliances until power is restored at the pumping station, a company spokesman said.

National Guard Mobilized: Gov. Ed Rendell this morning declared a statewide disaster emergency and mobilized the Pennsylvania Army National Guard to assist state troopers in responding to incidents.

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are also under disaster emergencies.

The declarations allow local and county governments to waive bidding and contract procedures to procure emergency supplies or snow-removal assistance. It also allows municipalities to request financial assistance from the state or federal governments.

Power Off for 160,000: The quick, heavy snowfall --- more than an inch an hour at times --- brought down branches on top of power lines. More than 160,000 power outages have been reported across the state, with most of them in southwestern Pennsylvania, said a spokeswoman for the state Emergency Management Agency.

About 85,000 outages were reporting in Allegheny County alone, according to county officials.

While primary arteries are snow-covered but passable, most side streets are closed, with even four-wheel drive vehicles having difficulty, and state Department of Transportation officials have urged motorists to postpone any non-essential travel.

Falling temperatures could complicate the snow-removal process --- according to NWS meteorologists in Pittsburgh, temperatures will drop into the single digits overnight.

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