Pope Francis' US Visit Forecast: Rain May Dampen Final Stop in Philadelphia

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

September 23,2015; 9:45PM,EDT

 

 

Hundreds of thousands of people are anticipating the chance to see Pope Francis during his tour in the United States through this weekend.
As part of his tour, the pope will make stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. The pope will meet with President Obama, Congress, various churches and schools as well as make other public appearances.
Pope Francis touched down on U.S. soil on Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Washington, D.C., which marked the start of his tour.
Pope Francis sits in his car, a Fiat 500, after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. The Pope is spending three days in Washington before heading to New York and Philadelphia. This is the Pope's first visit to the United States. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
In all three cities, tickets for public masses, papal parades and even public transportation were highly coveted.
Dry weather is favored for the three cities during the week, but rain could arrive this weekend.
"How much the weather deteriorates along the coast this weekend will depend upon the track of an Atlantic storm," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
JUMP TO: Washington, D.C. Visit Forecast| New York City Visit Forecast | Philadelphia Visit Forecast |
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama accompany Pope Francis to the stage during a state arrival ceremony, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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Washington, D.C., Sept. 22-24
On Thursday morning, the pope will continue his travels in Washington, D.C., as he will make the first-ever address to the U.S. Congress.

Skies will be partly sunny as the pope travels to New York City on Thursday afternoon from Joint Base Andrews as temperatures hover near the 80-degree mark.
New York City, Sept. 24-25
Flying to John F. Kennedy airport, the pope shouldn't have to deal with any travel-delaying weather on Thursday afternoon as he journeys to New York City. Upon arrival, Pope Francis will travel to St. Patrick's Cathedral for an evening prayer.
For his only full day in the city, Pope Francis will meet with the United Nations General Assembly on Friday morning, where he is expected to discuss his stance on climate change.
"On Friday sun will shine through some high clouds," Accuweather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said. "There will be no rain around, however, to dampen any activities.

Pope Francis will tour the 9/11 Memorial and Museum following the U.N. meeting, before heading to Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem.
"Temperatures should rise into the middle to upper 70s on Friday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Pydynowski said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said 80,000 New Yorkers will attend the pope's procession through Central Park on Friday afternoon.
In order to accommodate the influx of travelers in the city, de Blasio also said there will be an increased number of trains and buses running during the pope's visit. Still, riders are encouraged to allow plenty of time for travel.
Pope Francis will wrap up his time in New York with a mass at Madison Square Garden on Friday evening. Tickets for the mass were highly coveted, and city officials encourage those without tickets to avoid the area.
Philadelphia, Sept. 26-27
The pope will return to JFK on Saturday morning to fly to his last U.S. city, Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love will host the most public appearances and events on Pope Francis' U.S. tour.
After flying into Philadelphia International Airport at approximately 9:30 a.m. EDT, the pope will conduct mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The weather should initially make for easy air travel for the pope as he arrives in Philadelphia. However, rain could move into the city by Sunday.
"The Atlantic storm has a chance of producing windswept rain as far west as Philadelphia before the pope departs the city," Sosnowski said.

After taking a visit to Independence Hall at 4:45 p.m. EDT Saturday, the pope will travel to the Festival of Families at Benjamin Franklin Parkway and hold a Prayer Vigil with World Meeting of Families (WMOF) at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
The WMOF is the world's largest meeting of Catholic Families, held once every three years. Hundreds of thousands are expected to be in attendance as Philadelphia celebrates Francis Festival. Philadelphia is offering areas for both ticket holders and non-ticket holders.
Temperatures will rise into the middle 70s F on Saturday, with windy conditions. These temperatures are near normal for this time of year; however, as the month comes to a close a few days later, Philadelphia is expected to have a September that ranks in the top eight warmest.
While dry conditions on Saturday will not inhibit any travel, the city has limited public transportation use to special pass holders only.
Conditions may take a turn on Sunday as a system in the Atlantic moves up the East coast. Temperatures will fall into the upper 60s if the system pushes as far north as Philadelphia.
Reinforcing cool air will hold strong over the area during the pope's visit, making for more uncomfortable conditions for people packed together on city streets.
"Even if rain misses the city, cloudy skies and a cool breeze will still make it feel like a dreary, autumnlike day," Rathbun said.
However, the chance for rain could be disruptive during his appearances.
Following meetings with Bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary on Sunday morning, the pope will visit the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility north of Center City.
Pope Francis will say mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 4 p.m. EDT Sunday after a papal parade. The pope will ride up and down the Ben Franklin Parkway and around City Hall as part of the papal parade.
After the mass, the pope's final appearance will be with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the WMOF at Atlantic Aviation.
For his scheduled 8 p.m. EDT departure to Rome on Sunday, unsettled conditions could cause delays out of Philadelphia. For his arrival in Rome, a storm might form in southern Italy.