Rainy weather moves out of Philadelphia midafternoon Thanksgiving, frigid weekend ahead
Happy Thanksgiving!
Grab the umbrella if you leave the house today and give yourself a little extra drive time. Rain showers will continue through the early afternoon with ponding on the roads and some minor delays at Philadelphia International Airport. The steady, chilly rain will produce 0.5" to 1.0" of much needed rain.
There may also be a period of snow or a rain/snow mix in the Poconos with 1-3" of slushy snow in the highest elevations. There is a Next Weather Alert for today through midafternoon due to the impacts of the rain on travel by road and air.
Black Friday shopping will be chilly but dry across the entire area with highs in the mid-upper 40s. Friday night a lobe of bitterly cold Arctic air arrives from Canada. This will be the coldest air of the season and the coldest since last winter.
A second Next Weather Alert is in place for the weekend due to this blast of cold air. Despite sunshine, the highs on Saturday and Sunday will only reach the mid to upper 30s with wind chills below freezing all day and night. Speaking of nights, the morning lows will dip into the 20s for the entire area including the city.
Be sure to winterize the outdoor pipes and make special preparations for any pets with a warm place to stay and fresh water that can't freeze over. Even with their warm fur they are not used to this cold either.
The month of December and the start of Meteorological Winter, begins Sunday.
Next week is looking sunny, cool, dry, and continued cold with highs reaching the low 40s. The Next Weather Team will keep you updated on any changes ahead.
Here is the current travel forecast so you can plan and prepare:
- Today for Thanksgiving, rain develops and continues through early afternoon. Some light snow accumulations are possible in the highest elevations of the Poconos. Highs will be either side of 50. The rain should end by late day. Roads will be wet, and delays are possible at the airport.
- Friday will dry out, possibly a few snow showers in the Poconos. Mostly sunny and cooler in the mid to upper 40s. Friday night a push of Artic air arrives, and the lows Saturday morning will be in the 20s. Travel should be clear.
- Saturday and Sunday will be the coldest of the season with much of the area in the upper 30s during the day and dipping to the 20s at night. Wind chills will be in the teens and 20s all weekend. It will also be breezy with a mix of sun and clouds both days. Travel should be clear for anyone heading home.
Here's your 7-day forecast:
Thursday: NEXT Weather Alert, high of 53.
Friday: Mostly sunny, high of 46, low of 35.
Saturday: NEXT Weather Alert, high of 38, low of 28.
Sunday: NEXT Weather Alert, high of 39, low of 26.
Monday: Mostly sunny, high of 40, low of 25.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, high of 39, low of 27.
Wednesday: Sunny and cold, high of 40, low of 26.
