'Second Punch' Of Winter Storm Could Push Snowfall Totals Into 18-22" Range For Some Areas
By Kate Bilo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The second punch of the 1-2 combo is underway! Heavy rain with lightning and thunder crossed the area this evening and is now in the process of changing back to snow as colder air moves in around the back edge of the storm.
The warm air aloft and at the surface may limit snow totals south and east of Philadelphia, but in the north and west suburbs an additional 3-6" of snow will fall (locally higher amounts possible), pushing total snowfall amounts in some spots into the 18-22" range. The heavy bands of snow will continue to drop snow at the rate of 1-3" per hour through the first part of the overnight before snow finally tapers as the storm pulls away early Friday morning.
Folks heading to bed early may wake to find an unwelcome surprise of several more inches of heavy wet snow atop their already shoveled driveways and cleared-off cars, and the brief period of heavy sleet and freezing rain topped by more wet snow could trigger additional power outages across the region.
Your Valentine's Day forecast is generally dry, with clouds and a high of 40, but then we are tracking YET ANOTHER SYSTEM that will arrive Friday night into Saturday. This is a clipper system but it will be strengthened by another piece of energy digging in from the west and could intensify briefly before pulling out. We expect around 2-4" of snow to fall across the area, starting around 4am Saturday morning and moving out by midday.
A little bit of good news? It looks like temperatures will finally warm up late next week. Not a moment too soon!