Breezy and cold weather in Philadelphia region ahead of Saturday rain
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The weather in the Philadelphia area Thursday is breezy but dry with temperatures peaking in the 40s. We're also tracking heavy rain arriving Saturday and have issued a NEXT Weather Alert for that storm.
It's all quiet on the rain front for now - the ground is dry. It's just breezy and chilly, more reminiscent of mid-late February than mid-late March.
Early Thursday morning the feels-like temperature in the city was around 21 degrees - 10 degrees cooler than the thermometer reading of 31 thanks to the wind chill.
We won't warm up a whole lot after sunrise - the high is 46 in Philadelphia, and closer to 40 up in the Lehigh Valley.
Friday morning is not much better. It will likely be the coldest morning of March so far. Overnight Thursday with winds decreasing and the air more still, temperatures will be able to drop more quickly.
Then rain arrives Friday night into Saturday morning - leading to our NEXT Weather Alert Day.
When will rain arrive in Philadelphia area?
We're going to see precipitation start to fall late Friday night into Saturday afternoon. Rain will be heavy to steady and some spots could get two to three inches when all is said and done.
With the ground dry, there isn't a widespread or major flooding threat despite this quantity of rain. Some low-lying and poor drainage areas could see flooding.
We've issued this alert for the amount of rain expected and the timing - it could potentially impact flights and spring break travel especially for those flying out of Philadelphia International Airport.
Here are some estimates of potential rainfall over several hours:
We're continuing to monitor the arrival of this rain and will keep you updated.
Here's your 7-day forecast:
Thursday: Cold, breezy. High 46
Friday: Mostly sunny. High 51, Low 27
Saturday: NEXT Weather Alert Day for heavy rain. High 55, Low 41
Sunday: Sun returns, breezy. High 53, Low 33
Monday: A nice day. High 56, Low 33
Tuesday: Sun and clouds. High 54, Low 37
Wednesday: A few showers. High 54, Low 42
Get the latest weather info on the CBS News Philadelphia app.
