Snow in Philly today? What we know about storm track, totals – NBC10 Philadelphia

The first significant snow in about two years could hit parts of the Philadelphia region today, however it isn’t expected to snow everywhere as some places get some sleet before it changes over to just rain.

The NBC10 First Alert Weather Team issued a First Alert for accumulating snow and hazardous travel for the western Pennsylvania suburbs, Berks County and the Lehigh Valley from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.

Léelo en español aquí.

What’s the timing of the storm? 

A storm system will move in across the area around noon. Many locations from the New Jersey Turnpike and points West, will start as snow. The Jersey Shore and Delaware Beaches will start as rain, and remain rain for the duration of the storm, with temperatures well into the 40’s. For Philadelphia and the immediate suburbs, snow will fall through early afternoon today, then mix with and change to rain. Temperatures will warm to the upper 30’s. 

NBC10

How much snow will fall in our region? 

As much as an inch of snow could fall in and around Philadelphia but the rain will quickly wash away any accumulations. For the Northwestern Suburbs of Philadelphia – including Northern Chester, Western Montgomery, and Upper Bucks Counties – snow will fall into the early evening and accumulate as much as two to four inches. A change to rain is likely after 6 p.m. for these locations. 

For the Lehigh Valley, snow will begin mid-afternoon, and accumulate fairly quickly. Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties are likely to see as much as four to seven inches of snow. The worst of the storm will arrive for the Lehigh Valley in and around the early to middle part of the evening. Elevations over 500 feet will see the highest snow totals, while valleys will see lower amounts. A brief change to sleet or freezing rain is possible in parts of the Lehigh Valley, which would cut down totals a bit.

The storm will begin to wrap up by the early morning hours on Sunday. It is possible that some areas with rain will end as a brief period of snowfall, but no additional accumulations are expected. For Sunday, passing flurries are possible during the day, with a mostly cloudy sky. A gusty breeze will make it feel cooler, with highs in the middle and upper 30’s. 

NBC10

When was the last time we had significantly measurable snow in Philadelphia?

The storm will exit the area by early Sunday morning, and lingering flurries are possible into Sunday afternoon. Now is the time to plan ahead for the first significant winter storm in two seasons as Philly could break its longest snowless streak on record.

Philadelphia last had measurable snow on Feb. 1, 2023, when a meager 0.3 of an inch fell.

The last time Philadelphia got more than an inch of snow was more than 700 days ago! On Jan. 29, 2022, 5.8 inches of snow fell in Philadelphia, which helped the total snowfall for that storm at Philadelphia International Airport top out at 7.5 inches. Since then, Philly hasn’t seen more than an inch of snow on any day.

That same January 2022 storm left nearly 2 feet of snow in parts of New Jersey.

NBC10’s Brenna Weick shares how PennDOT crews across the Philadelphia region are preparing the roads ahead of the winter storm this weekend.

Now is the time to prepare for the storm

Road crews and emergency officials have spent days getting ready for whatever falls from the sky.

With the storm moving in today, you should take steps now if you haven’t already. Dig out the snow shovel and ice melt, grab that ice scraper and put it in your car, make sure to clear out gutters (that can even help if it rains) and potentially grab your sled out of the basement.

Here’s the full checklist to make sure you’re ready for whatever this storm brings:

NBC10

As for your car, make sure you have your tires inflated and plenty in the trunk, including some extra windshield wiper fluid and kitty litter.

NBC10’s Randy Gyllenhaal goes to the garage with AAA Mid-Atlantic to show drivers what they need in their trunk in case of a winter weather emergency and to see what you can do to make sure you car is ready for snow and ice.

Also, emergency management in the Pennsylvania suburbs suggests drivers be weary of slick roads and have their devices charged up so they won’t be left in the dark if stranded or if they lose power.

NBC10’s Deanna Durante gets tips about driving in wintry weather and charging up devices ahead of this weekend’s storm.

Flooding concerns

While snow is often the focus of any winter storm, there is a chance for excessive rainfall from this storm. That could lead to localized flooding — especially along streams, rivers and along the coast.

The greatest flood threats are from the I-95 corridor into South Jersey and Delaware, where mostly rain is expected.

NBC10

We have been saturated with a lot of rain recently, which adds to the threat. Add in an expected rainstorm in the middle of next week, and flooding remains a concern.

Going to the Eagles-Giants game in North Jersey?

Don’t expect a snow game at MetLife Stadium. Showers should taper off around the 4:25 p.m. kickoff at the Meadowlands, if not before.

Stay ahead of the storm with NBC10

Be sure to have your phone and other devices charged up with the latest version of the NBC10 app downloaded. We will have updated forecast, snow projections and live interactive radar leading up to and during the winter storm online and on air.