Snow possible Friday in Philadelphia region, cold weekend ahead. Here's the full forecast.
Get ready for a little snow Friday evening and a lot of cold this weekend in the Philadelphia region.
Friday will be a damp and cloudy day. Scattered rain showers will mix with snow at times, especially north and west later in the day.
As temperatures drop closer to freezing by the evening, there may be a transition from rain to snow showers as a clipper system approaches the region. Clipper systems are typically moisture-starved and not big snow producers, but this one will phase with a newly formed coastal low, creating enhanced lift and scattered bursts of snow through midnight.
The current outlook is a coating to an inch along either side of the I-95 corridor. While farther north and west there could be 1-3 inches stretching from upper Montgomery, upper Chester and upper Bucks Counties through the Lehigh Valley and Berks County. The Poconos will be coldest all day and 2 to 5 inches of snow is possible. These forecast totals may shift up or down a bit depending on the temperatures.
Any snow or rain will create a slow evening commute on Friday. There may be some travel delays at the airport for evening flights.
The storm will depart early Saturday morning and skies will clear quickly to sunshine as very dry and bitterly cold air arrives. Highs on Saturday will hover near freezing with wind chills in the teens and 20s. As northwest winds increase by the afternoon, lake effect snow bands may form and reach as far east as the Poconos and Lehigh Valley.
By the way, winter officially begins Saturday morning.
By Sunday morning, temperatures will drop to the teens. Despite bright sunshine, we will only rebound to the mid and upper 20s by afternoon. This will be the coldest day of the season so far.
Monday morning you will need extra layers and extra time to warm up the car as temperatures will range from 8 to 13 degrees.
Highs will hover near freezing under sunny skies.
Please make sure to provide your pets with a warm and dry place, preferably indoors. They are not used to the frigid Arctic air any more than we are.
On Tuesday, Christmas Eve, skies will be cloudy and scattered rain showers are possible. Highs will be closer to normal in the low 40s.
On Christmas Day on Wednesday, highs will be in the low to mid 40s with partly cloudy skies and a lingering shower. Hanukkah begins Wednesday night, and there may be a few scattered showers.
Thursday is Kwanza, and it will be partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of scattered showers and highs in the low 40s.
7-day forecast
Friday: High of 39, low of 33, NEXT Weather Alert for rain/snow
Saturday: High of 34, low of 31, windy, colder
Sunday: High of 27, low of 16, frigid, sunny
Monday: High of 27, low of 12, cold a.m., some sun
Tuesday: High of 38, low of 20, cloudy, p.m. shower
Wednesday: High of 44, low of 29, spotty showers
Thursday: High of 47, low of 31, chance of showers
