February 09, 2017
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Snow falls early Thursday morning along Kelly Drive on Feb. 9, 2017.
Forecasters predicted the first major snowstorm of the winter season would sweep into the Philadelphia region early Thursday.
Instead, many residents woke up to an underwhelming mixture of snow and slush. Just 3-4 inches had accumulated at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, a few ticks below the forecasted amount of 5-8 inches.
Because of the warmth of the ground, the snow level might not appear to be as high as the actual accumulation, meteorologist Lance Frank said.
Temperatures are expected to fall as the day continues, leading to the possibility of icy roadways throughout the region, Frank said. Snowfall had essentially stopped by 11 a.m.
"It's winding down," Frank said. "But there are some showers or flurries in the area, though that should not result in additional accumulation."
But that didn't mean the snow didn't cause problems.
Jeff McMenamin and Ashley Zanecoski, both 28 and from the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, were among hundreds of people forced to reschedule flights. But standing inside Suburban Station on Thursday morning, they had their fingers crossed that they would make it to Tampa in time for a friend's wedding.
"It's been pretty intense the past 18 hours or so," McMenamin said. "In general, I feel snow always shoves its head out and reminds us that it can be a problem sometimes."
Most schools and colleges across the region canceled classes, including all Philadelphia public and archdiocesan schools.
Chris and Heather Major walk with their dog Ramsey toward Center City on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017.
For many people, Thursday turned into an unexpected day off.
Karlee DeMarco, a junior at Philadelphia University, took a Regional Rail train into Center City, only to find out her shift at Lucky Brand had been called off.
"I grew up near Pittsburgh," said DeMarco, 21, of East Falls. "I'm used to more snow. I woke up and everyone was panicking, but I was like, 'It's no big deal.'"
Instead of working, DeMarco planned to catch up on some schoolwork, watch Netflix and go sledding with some friends in East Falls.
"It's fun to be a child again sometimes," DeMarco said.
The snowstorm slowed public transit as many SEPTA trains operated on delays and some bus routes were detoured. PATCO trains operated on modified schedules.
Monika Budziowicz, who commutes from Collingswood to Center City on PATCO for her job at an architectural firm, opted to delay heading into work. She’d awakened around 7 a.m., could hear a sleety mix coming down and decided that catching her normal 8 a.m. train was definitely not the way to go.
And besides, her company had told employees it was fine to work from home.
So she shoveled for a bit, then decided to give it a try, catching a train before 10 a.m. The one-block walk to the station “wasn’t bad.”
“I’ll end up staying later, but that’s OK," she said. "I don’t have any plans.”
Road conditions also were affected, but the lack of vehicles on area roadways made it easier on crews trying to clear streets.
"...for the most part, it looks like drivers have headed the warnings and are staying off the roads," said Dan Keashen, Camden County spokesman. "That is what we want, to be successful – drivers off the roads so our crews can work.”
The plan seemed to work: Route 30, one of the busiest roads in Camden County, was largely free of snow and slush through the morning rush hour.
