The sunny spell that Western Pennsylvania experienced between the two winter storms that hit the area in the past week might have been welcome at the time, but it could end up costing the region a chance at federal disaster relief.

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, held a conference call with more than 70 local officials Thursday in which he informed them that the three-day break in the snowy action means that we were hit by two separate storms.

Federal Emergency Management Agency rules for relief from severe winter storms state that the snowfall must have occurred "within a 48-hour period."

"If we combine the two snowfalls, clearly we're there," Mr. Murphy told the officials of the required snow accumulation. "If we just take one snowfall, we're not there. So we need them to decide this."

The National Weather Service, however, will not be helping the officials' argument. Meteorologists Thursday confirmed that the snow that pounded Western Pennsylvania came from two distinct storms separated by 72 hours. The first and more intense storm came north from the Gulf Coast and ended Saturday afternoon. The second one, feeding off Atlantic Coast moisture, arrived midday Tuesday.

Mr. Murphy held the midafternoon conference call with mayors, city administrators, township supervisors, borough managers, council presidents, police chiefs and emergency services coordinators from throughout his district. The telephone session followed a conference call between representatives from Pennsylvania's congressional offices and officials in FEMA Region 3, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Mr. Murphy said FEMA changed its policy on snow disasters in November in order to prevent communities from trying to pass high winter costs on to the federal government.

"Believe me, I'm frustrated with this," he said. "I know you hadn't dug yourself out of the first one when the second one hit."

He encouraged the local officials to continue to document costs "down to the penny" and to pass that accounting along to county officials, as well as his office. Dollars spent on damage, displaced residents and removing threats to health and safety all add up, he said.

With that sort of documentation -- and some pushing from elected officials -- Mr. Murphy said he hoped FEMA would see that some disaster relief is appropriate.

The community officials had the opportunity to ask questions, most of which focused on whether the costs of materials, overtime and free-lance contractors would be covered by any disaster relief that might come. In most instances, Mr. Murphy said he did not know the answers but said the questions would be taken to FEMA officials.

Tom Headley, a supervisor in Forward, which was among the hardest-hit areas, said his township still had 20 percent of the population without power and it's been difficult to get the roads clear.

"We only have two full-time road-crew guys, and the magnitude of the problem forced us to go out and hire four contractors on an open-ended basis to get things opened up," Mr. Headley said. "How does FEMA look at the fee we pay them?"

Westmoreland County emergency services manager Dan Stevens said he could not imagine FEMA looking at the situation as separate events.

"This should be treated as one storm," he said. "Congressman, I think you will hear this echoed across the commonwealth."

Mr. Stevens also asked Mr. Murphy to take up the fight for funds on behalf of residents who lost their U.S. House representative when Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, died.

"We are one voice short in our county," he said. "And you have to speak for us in our county. We need your help."

Mr. Murphy said he and other Pennsylvania representatives would take up the battle on their behalf, a sentiment echoed by U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, D-McCandless, in a later interview.

"Tim and I talked about that, and we are definitely going to count Westmoreland County as part of our constituency, in the short term here, to get them as much help as we can," Mr. Altmire said. "We both represent portions of Westmoreland County and feel an obligation, under the circumstances, to work together for everyone there."

Mr. Altmire agreed that the two storms ought to be considered a singular event because it was different from any severe snowstorm in Pittsburgh's recent history.

"The other two big snowstorms, in March 1993 and Thanksgiving 1950, were at a time of the year when it got warm very quickly after the snowfall," he said. "This happened in the dead of winter when it's as cold as it gets. And the snow didn't melt in between. It just piled the second snowfall on top of the first, and that's why we think we can make the case that this should count as a singular event."

Mr. Murphy said it is important to document the costs of the snowstorms as quickly as possible. He also directed officials to his website -- murphy.house.gov -- where his staff had posted a guide to FEMA's disaster declaration process.

"We are concerned here that if the snow melts too fast, flooding will be another part of this as well," he said.

Thursday's milder weather gave power companies and road crews a chance to recover their footing. Interstate highways that had been closed Wednesday reopened, and electricity was restored to thousands of customers.

The storms are believed to have claimed at least four lives.

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