January 03, 2017
Snow could have significant impact on the Friday morning commute, according to forecasters.
About 1 to 3 inches of accumulation are expected across the Philadelphia region, with the higher amounts east and south of the I-95 corridor toward the Jersey coast. Areas to the north could see a coating.
Forecasters said a low pressure system will form off the Carolina coast late Thursday and head northeast.
The snow will start Thursday night but is expected to be heaviest from 1 to 7 a.m. Friday, and taper off by 10 a.m. in the city and a few hours later at the shore.
Motorists can expect snow to cover roadways and produce slippery conditions, the National Weather Service said.
We'll barely have time to brush the snow off our windshields before another storm rolls by the region. Forecasters say a storm offshore could track close enough to the coast to produce snow accumulations, especially in those areas close to the shoreline. The track and strength of the possible Saturday storm remains a bit up in the air.
Seasonal snowfall historical averages for Philadelphia, 1979 to 2016. Data is unofficial.
Source/National Weather Service
Historically, the Philadelphia area sees 6.4 inches of snow – on average – in January, according to the National Weather Service. (4.6 inches on average in Atlantic City.)
Wednesday will offer sunny skies and temperatures rising into the high 40s or low 50s. But that will be a distant memory on the weekend, with temperatures below freezing Saturday and down to 18 degrees at night. It gets even colder on Sunday night – 14 degrees.
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Here are the 7-day forecasts for Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore from the NWS:
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. West wind 9 to 17 mph.
Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. West wind 11 to 15 mph.
Thursday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 36. West wind 8 to 11 mph.
Thursday night: Snow likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 28. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
Friday: A chance of snow, mainly before 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. North wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 29.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 28. Blustery.
Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 14.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.
Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Breezy, with a west wind 13 to 20 mph.
Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 21 mph.
Thursday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 38. West wind 11 to 17 mph.
Thursday night: Snow, mainly after 1 a.m. Low around 26. West wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Friday: Snow likely, mainly before 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 34. North wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Friday night: A slight chance of snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Saturday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Blustery.
Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 18. Blustery.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32.
Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.
