7:00 AM | *Some accumulating snow tonight as news-making Arctic blast arrives...zero degrees possible this weekend with dangerous wind chills...snow-to-ice-to-rain early next week*

6-Day Philly Forecast

Today

Sun followed by clouds, breezy, very cold, snow showers are possible by the end of the afternoon, highs in the low-to-mid 20’s

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, very cold, snow showers and snow squalls are likely or even a period of steadier snow, accumulations will occur quickly given the cold ground-level conditions on the order of a dusting to an inch or two, lows in the mid-to-upper teens

Saturday

Brutally cold with partial sunshine, windy, snow showers still possible anyone of which can produce a quick coating, highs holding in the upper teens with dangerous wind chills of 15 to 25 below zero and gusts to 40 mph

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, windy, extremely cold, lows near 0 degrees with dangerous wind chills of 15 to 25 below zero

Sunday

Extremely cold with partial sunshine, blustery, highs holding in the low-to-middle teens

Monday

Becoming cloudy, cold, periods of light snow likely, low 30’s; snow becomes heavier at night before a transition to ice

Tuesday

Cloudy, not as cold, snow and/or ice transitioning to rain, low-to-mid 40’s

Wednesday

Partly sunny, seasonal, still the chance of some rain or snow, near 40 degrees

Discussion

Much colder air moved into the region on Thursday and it’ll stay well below normal today as we close out the work week, but this is nothing compared to what is coming this weekend. Another outbreak of Arctic air will arrive later tonight and this blast will produce some of the lowest temperatures seen in these parts in a long, long time during the upcoming weekend. In addition, this Arctic frontal passage will be accompanied by snow showers and possible heavy snow squalls and perhaps even a period of steady snow. Quick accumulations are likely tonight on the order of a coating to an inch or two given the cold ground-level conditions. Temperatures this weekend are likely to primarily hold in the teens for highs and low temperatures by early Sunday morning are likely to drop to near the zero degree mark in the Philly metro region. Wind chills will reach dangerous levels of 15 to 25 degrees below zero later tomorrow into Sunday as winds gusting to 40 mph join up with the extreme cold. Elsewhere in the Northeast US, New York City could drop to 0 degrees by early Sunday and if they do, it would be the first time there since late January 1994 – Philly dropped to 1 above during that same outbreak in 1994. Boston and Providence - aided by some decent snow cover - could approach their all-time low temperature records by Sunday morning. After the brutally cold weekend, clouds will thicken up quickly on Monday, President’s Day, and there is likely to be some light snow breaking out during the day. A significant storm will organize near Georgia later Monday and then take an inland track on Tuesday up through the eastern states. The light snow is likely to become heavier for awhile Monday night before it transitions to ice and then rain on Tuesday. It is possible, however, that even with a changeover to plain rain on Tuesday, there is a significant buildup of snow and/or ice during the front end of the storm; especially, in the suburbs to the north and west of Philly. Stay tuned on this one.

Meteorologist Paul Dorian

Vencore, Inc.