NEXT Weather: Rain, snow mix to impact parts of Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - After a tranquil, sunny Monday, a quick-hitting system will deliver a burst of snow through the overnight hours to much of the region. The good news is that there is a relatively brief window for snowfall and it shouldn't cause much concern for travel.
Snow, possibly mixed with rain, could begin in the Poconos as early as 9 or 10 p.m. Monday, but likely will not move through the city until after midnight. A brief burst of wet snow may impact the city and surrounding suburbs between 1 and 4 a.m. Tuesday, and while we could see a grassy coating in spots and colder surfaces like cars may be covered, roads should remain wet thanks to the warmth from Monday and surface temperatures above freezing.
By the time the Tuesday morning commute gets underway, any steady precipitation is gone and just a lingering flurry remains through around 9 a.m.
While we don't expect much in the way of accumulation near the city and suburbs, things could be different in the higher elevations. There is some guidance depicting a fairly robust band of snow setting up shop for a couple of hours over the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, again between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. Tuesday.
If the heavier intensity pans out, parts of Lehigh and Northampton counties could wake up around 2 inches of slushy wet snow, with the highest elevations in the Poconos seeing around 4 inches. Again, expect this to be over and done with before the morning commute gets underway, but the farther north you travel, the more you'll have to worry about slick or slushy untreated surfaces.
After that stray flurry Tuesday morning, the sun comes out and the winds pick up - gusts to 30 mph possible on Tuesday afternoon. This will help to quickly dry out any lingering snow or puddles on roadways before temperatures drop below freezing Tuesday night.