ERIE -- A slow-moving spring snowstorm dumped as much as three feet of snow in northwestern Pennsylvania today, stranding hundreds of motorists and knocking out power to tens of thousands.

Janet B. Campbell, Erie Times-News via AP

Traffic crawls along the eastbound lane of I-90 today as the westbound lane remained closed during a snow storm. A slow-moving spring snowstorm dumped as much as three feet of snow in northwestern Pennsylvania today, stranding hundreds of motorists and knocking out power to tens of thousands. CHECK FORECASTS For a complete forecast, the hour-by-hour outlook for Pittsburgh, regional radar or forecasts for your zipcode, visit our Weather section.

A 22-mile stretch of Interstate 80 was closed from the New York line to Erie as emergency officials and crews tried to clear roads and reach stranded motorists with snowmobiles.

"In some places, we've heard people have been stranded for four to six hours with children," said Nick Sleptzoff, Erie County's director of emergency management. The large number of cars and trucks on the road was making it difficult for highway workers to clear snow, he said.

State police said dozens of cars were stranded on the highway, while Sleptzoff said hundreds more were stranded across the county. Rescue crews were using snowmobiles and four-wheel-drive vehicles to try to reach motorists, Sleptzoff said.

Erie received 11.5 inches of snow, the National Weather Service said. Officials in Erie County declared a disaster emergency and opened four emergency shelters.

There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or accidents, authorities said.

Paul Martinez, who owns Paul's Towing in Erie, said his three tow trucks had been pulling vehicles out of the snow all day.

"It's been jam-packed. We've got four-wheel drive so we get around pretty good," Martinez said.

Meanwhile, the storm knocked out power to 25,000 customers in the county, officials said.

Other parts of Pennsylvania saw snow, but not as much.

Pittsburgh recorded 4.2 inches today, the fourth highest tally on record for April, the weather service said.

From yesterday afternoon to this afternoon, Johnstown received 6.5 inches of snow, while Somerset saw 9 inches. Bear Lake in Warren County, near the New York-Pennsylvania border, was buried under a foot of snow, the weather service said.

On April 3, 1901, the Steel City recorded 12.7 inches of snow. The average snowfall for April in Pittsburgh is 1.5 inches.

Clouds and freezing temperatures today gave way to sunny skies and temperatures near 50 degrees in Pittsburgh by late afternoon.