7:00 AM | **50 mph wind gusts possible later today as much colder air floods the region...snow-to-ice-to-rain on Saturday with front end accumulations likely**
Paul Dorian
6-Day forecast for the Philadelphia, PA metro region
Today
Partly sunny, chilly, becoming very windy with gusts possible to 50 mph, maybe a PM snow shower, highs in the mid-to-upper 40’s
Tonight
Partly cloudy with possible snow showers during the evening hours, very windy, cold, lows in the lower 20’s
Friday
Mainly sunny, windy, cold, lower 30’s for afternoon highs
Friday Night
Increasing clouds, quite cold, light and variable winds, upper teens for lows
Saturday
Mainly cloudy, cold, snow is likely to develop during the late morning or mid-day hours and may transition to a wintry mix by late in the day, accumulations in the 1-3 inch range are possible before any changeover takes place, mid-to-upper 30’s; a wintry mix or plain rain at night which could change back to snow late
Sunday
A snow shower possible early then becoming mainly sunny, windy, cold, mid-to-upper 30’s
Monday
Mainly sunny, quite cold, near 30 degrees
Tuesday
Mainly sunny, still quite cold, near 30 degrees
Discussion
Temperatures climbed to 50 degrees on Wednesday which is well above-normal for mid-January but a much colder air mass arrives today following the passage of a strong cold frontal system. The much colder air mass will ride into the region on strong NW winds that can gust to 50 mph at times later today into early tonight. Strong high pressure will build into southeastern Canada on Friday and high temperatures here will struggle to pass the freezing mark and therein lies a problem for Saturday. Low pressure will move from the Upper Midwest on Saturday to the central Great Lakes and precipitation will move east into our area most likely during the late morning hours or mid-day. Given the cold and dry air mass in place as we begin the weekend, there is likely to be an extended period of frozen precipitation at the onset with snow accumulations possible in the 1-3 inch range. Temperatures will struggle to climb above freezing on Saturday, but a changeover to plain rain is possible by late afternoon or early Saturday night. Another cold air mass will arrive on Sunday again riding in on strong NW winds and Monday and Tuesday promise to feature some of the coldest weather so far this season.
Meteorologist Paul Dorian
Perspecta, Inc.
perspectaweather.com