If it seemed like Friday was the wettest day ever, it's because it kind of was.

The 1.77 inches of rain that battered the county was a record rainfall for Feb. 1, according to Millersville meteorologist Eric Horst. The previous record, 1.31 inches, was set in 1915.

As the rain subsided in the evening, puddles of water menaced drivers, turning into ice in some areas by early this morning.

Freezing rain and black ice mobilized eight PennDOT trucks overnight, said the agency's Lancaster County maintenance manager, Chuck Enoch.

Lancaster County Control dispatchers estimated 15 to 20 crashes between midnight and 3 a.m. None involved serious injuries. Icy roads, especially in the northwestern part of the county, contributed to the wrecks, they said.

A driver in Bart Township lost control of his car and spun into a utility pole Friday evening while driving through a patch of water on Georgetown Road, according to state police. No further information was available.

Horst explained that while overnight temperatures remained above freezing in Lancaster City, suburban and rural areas saw the day's record rainfall turn to a slippery solid.

Temperatures had risen into the upper 30s by late this morning, and were expected to climb into the mid-40s later in the day and on Sunday, Horst said. Showers are expected for Monday, with a chance of freezing rain late Sunday night.

Then it's on to spring, at least for Tuesday, which — with some possible help from the sun — may get up to 60 degrees.

"It's not over," Horst cautioned about winter's chill. "But people looking for weeks of snow and cold — we're just not gonna see that."

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