Philadelphia weather: Rain changes to snow Tuesday AM, 8+ inches possible in the Poconos
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A storm system is dropping snow and rain across the Delaware Valley Tuesday, especially the Lehigh Valley and Poconos. Philadelphia could see between 2 to 4 inches of snow after rain changes over later in the morning, around 7 a.m. if not sooner.
While temperatures will stay fairly mild and only a handful of spots will drop to freezing, Tuesday has been designated a NEXT Weather Alert Day due to the impact this storm could have on the morning commute.
Winter Weather Alerts
A Winter Storm Warning went into effect at midnight and will last until 3 p.m. Tuesday for much of northeastern Pennsylvania and has extended into all of Bucks, Montgomery and Chester Counties and Mercer County in New Jersey.
The Winter Weather Advisory that goes into from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday now includes all of the I-95 corridor, including New Castle County in Delaware, Salem, Gloucester, Camden and northwest Burlington Counties in New Jersey and Philadelphia.
For the shore, moderate coastal flooding is possible with high tide Tuesday morning. Because of this, a Coastal Flood Watch is in effect for Atlantic and Burlington counties at the shore, with 1 to 2 feet of inundation possible.
Storm timing
Snow is already coming down in the Poconos and Lehigh Valley Tuesday morning. During the 5 a.m. hour the rain and snow line will move farther south, and by 7 a.m. expect to see snow falling in Philadelphia.
By 8 a.m. that snow will also move into South Jersey, and then according to meteorologist Kate Bilo, it's snowing everywhere by 10 a.m.
Then by 11 a.m./noon, the quick-hitting storm moves out.
How much snow will we get?
Snow totals are likely to vary drastically across the region. The Poconos are looking at between 6-10 inches of snow by the time this system wraps up.
As you move farther south, those totals get smaller. Areas under the Winter Storm Warning could see between 4-8 inches of snow. Along the I-95 corridor, we're looking at 2-4 inches, though some spots could get higher amounts.
In South Jersey, some spots could get just a coating of snow up to 2 inches, but those amounts decrease the farther you move from I-95. According to Chief Meteorologist Bill Kelly, it'll be wet at the Jersey Shore and they could see some snow, but it won't stick.
Travel impacts and school closings in Philadelphia region
Impacts on the Tuesday morning commute will be felt everywhere, even in the rain-soaked locations. Remember to leave early, slow down and avoid large areas of water on the roadways. The highest impact times Tuesday will be between 6-10 a.m. Avoid travel if possible.
Multiple schools are already reporting closures and delays. Click here to see the full list.
The storm will move out by midday, but behind the heaviest precipitation Tuesday morning, we'll see the winds kicking up, gusting between 30 and 40 mph during the afternoon.
Cooler and drier weather is on the menu for Valentine's Day Wednesday, with seasonably cool highs and partly cloudy skies on tap for the rest of the week. Temperatures Wednesday morning will be in the upper 20s to near 30 degrees, which will create some concern for melting snow and residual water freezing on roadways and walkways.
By Wednesday afternoon, temperatures will climb back above freezing with highs near 43 degrees.
Your 7-day forecast
Tuesday: High of 39, NEXT Weather Alert Day
Wednesday: High of 39, low of 30, windy and cold
Thursday: High of 43, low of 26, partly sunny
Friday: High of 42, low of 34, partly sunny
Saturday: High of 41, low of 31, some sun and a possible shower
Sunday: High of 43, low of 27, mostly sunny
Monday: High of 47, low of 28, sunny and nice
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