Philly: Cold Weather to Persist Into Weekend

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

January 27,2015; 8:56PM,EST

 

 

Colder-than-average temperatures will hold around Philadelphia into the weekend as a couple of storm systems approach.
High temperatures through Sunday will be in the 30s F most days. The average high for the end of January and early February near 40 F.
Motorists and pedestrians are urged to look out for patchy icy spots during the nighttime and morning commute hours. Where snow recently fell and melted during the day, below-freezing temperatures from the evening to the morning hours can lead to spotty black ice.
In terms of winter storms, it appears an Albert Clipper will generally pass north of the region Thursday night into Friday with spotty showers of snow, sleet and rain locally. The best chance of a coating and slippery travel will be north and west of the city. Moisture available to the clipper storm will be limited until it swings well to the east of the area.

Later this weekend, the track of a storm moving up from the Southwest states will hold the key as to the primary form of precipitation in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, northern Delaware and northeastern Maryland. The storm from the Southwest will have a great deal of moisture to work with and could bring a period of heavy precipitation.
The early indications are the Southwest storm will bring a wintry mix transitioning to rain from late Sunday into early Monday.
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If arctic air over southern Canada was to push in ahead of the storm and hold on, there could be more snow and perhaps an extended period of ice or wintry mix.
In any case, people on the road or with departing or arriving flights should anticipate delays from late Sunday into Monday morning. The storm may still be affecting western Pennsylvania on Monday when thousands will gather to hear about the forecast for the rest of the winter from Punxsutawney Phil.
AccuWeather.com will continue to provide updates on the storm through this weekend.
A fresh dose of cold air will follow on Tuesday, regardless of Phil's prediction.