Weather Blog: Snow And Bitter Cold To Return Tuesday
By Kathy Orr
How Much Snow?
A storm is expected to develop to our south Tuesday and move off the mid-Atlantic coast. It will track close enough to provide significant snow to our area.
We have seen similar snow accumulations this month, however, this time there will be a greater impact since the heaviest snow will fall in the afternoon and during the evening rush.
Philadelphia and its adjacent counties, as well as South Jersey and Delaware, will likely see significant snow, i.e. 5-10".
The Lehigh Valley, Berks County: 3-5".
A Winter Storm Warning is posted for Tuesday morning through Tuesday night.
Timing Is Everything
Between 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.: Snow slowly arrives from west to east. (The morning rush should scrape by without any major issue.)
Late morning to early afternoon: Light snow overspreads the region.
Mid-afternoon to evening: Heaviest snow will fall, with snow rates of 1" an hour at times.
The highest accumulations are expected in South Jersey and Delaware. The evening drive will feature poor visibility, slow/slick travel, and snow-covered roads.
Tuesday night to Wednesday morning: The storm slowly pulls away with snow ending from west to east.
Snow Ends by 4 a.m. in Philadelphia.
Brutally Cold Air
It's important that we don't minimize the impact of the cold that's coming. Arctic air is here, and gusty winds will drive Wind Chills into the single numbers Tuesday afternoon, and below zero Tuesday night. In fact, Wednesday's high temperatures will only be in the teens!
**Heads up Pocono residents! The cold air will be especially vicious for you. Wind Chill Watches take effect Tuesday night for wind chill values that may bottom out as low as -20 degrees i.e. dangerous cold.
Stay warm and safe!
Kathy