Coldest morning of the season in Philadelphia, freeze warning issued for much of region
After more dry weather this weekend, we're starting off the new week the same, but with an added bonus: the coldest night of the season so far. In fact, Monday morning will be the coldest morning we've seen in the Delaware Valley since last April.
Expect lows to range from the 20s in the suburbs to the middle 30s in the city of Philadelphia.
Those cold temperatures have also triggered a freeze warning between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m. Monday for everyone except Philadelphia and Delaware counties and the immediate Jersey Shore. This is the first freeze of the season, so if you have delicate outdoor plants and want to keep them alive, make sure to cover them tonight before going to bed.
Philadelphia and Delaware counties and the immediate Jersey Shore are under a frost advisory during that time.
The big question next week revolves around the Halloween forecast. This may be the first year I can remember that jackets won't be needed over the little ones' costumes. It will feel more like summer than the last day of October. Temperatures rebound to the mid-60s Monday and by Thursday (Halloween) highs will be in the low 80s and chasing a record high of 82 set in 1946. The NEXT Weather Team's forecast is 82 for Thursday.
After 29 days without rain, we tied Philly's 150-year-old dry streak of 29 days set way back in the fall of 1874. We will set a new record of 30 consecutive days with no rain on Monday. That new record will then be broken every day next week with no rain in sight until possibly Friday, when another cold front crosses the area. This one has a 20% chance of producing measurable rain of at least 0.01 inch. If that does not happen, we will roll into the following week with no rain.
Regardless of whether we end the dry streak on Friday, there simply will not be enough rain to end the drought. We are currently in a moderate to severe drought across the region and it would take more than 8 inches of rain over one month to end the drought. Be prepared for areas of extreme drought to develop in the week ahead.
NEXT Weather Alert for Monday morning
Our NEXT Weather team has issued a NEXT Weather Alert day due to the frost advisory and freeze warning for much of the area effective from 11 p.m. until until 9 a.m. Monday.
Here's your 7-day forecast:
Monday: Cold start. High 64, Low 37.
Tuesday: A few clouds. High 69, Low 42.
Wednesday: Sunny skies. High 76, Low 52.
Thursday: Halloween heat! High 81, Low 59.
Friday: Maybe a shower? High 74, Low 66.
Saturday: Sunny skies. High 63, Low 45.
Sunday: Clouds, some sun. High 68, Low 43.