Snow is in play during the Eagles game Sunday in Philly. A rush-hour dusting is expected Thursday afternoon.
Temperatures could hit zero in some places close to Philly next week, and there are a couple of snow threats.
In what has been the winter of the white dust, when at times it’s been hard to tell the snow from the road salt, yet another ultralight snowfall was due for the evening commute Thursday.
And computer models were hinting Thursday that more significant snow is possible Sunday when the Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, to be followed by a vigorous cold spell as a Siberian air mass overtakes much of the nation, complete more snow chances.
On Monday, Martin Luther King Day, temperatures will get no higher than the mid-20s around here, and in the nation’s capital, the National Weather Service is predicting it will be 22 degrees when Donald Trump takes to oath of office on what would be the coldest presidential inauguration day in 40 years.
It’s at least possible that some places outside Philly hit zero degrees next week, said Brandon Buckingham, meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. Sunday marks the 31st anniversary of the last time the temperature reached zero at Philadelphia International Airport.
A snow cover would increase the chances of reaching zero, said Paul Fitzsimmons, a lead meteorologist at the weather service’s Mount Holly office. Any heat absorbed by the snow rapidly radiates into space after sunset when the winds are light and the sky is clear, conditions expected early Tuesday and Wednesday.
How much snow is expected Thursday in Philadelphia?
Not much, probably a half inch or less, forecasters say, since it is a weak system wanting for moisture. But it is expected to fall between about 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., and could cause some commuting problems. The paved surfaces are cold, the snow “could produce some slick spots on area roadways,” he said.
Some random flakes moved into the region in the late morning, and snow showers were forecast to continue into the evening.
The National Weather Service is calling for 0.3 inches for Philly. Sound familiar? This would be the fifth snowfall of the season of 0.3 inches or less, along with three “traces.”
Will it snow during the Eagles game on Sunday?
It well might.
The computer models continue to see things and then not see them, but the chances are about 50-50 of snow during the playoff game when the Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams. “Accumulations are definitely on the table,” said Paul Dorian, meteorologist with Arcfield Weather.
It won’t be Buffalo — a big storm is unlikely and we’re about 350 miles from the “lake effect” snow zone — but it won’t be Southern California either. Temperatures are expected to be in the 30s, likely falling if it starts to snow.
The Arctic front that will be the advance of an air mass that originated in the land where the world is your freezer is expected to touch off a coastal storm. It remained unclear how much, if any, snow it would generate snow.
The more-recent computer model runs on Thursday showed a somewhat stronger storm, said the weather service’s Fitzsimmons. One model had the storm following a track that would result in more rain than snow in Philly, he said.
The computer waffling is “evident,” said Buckingham. “We still need to see a bit further model guidance.”
How cold will it get next week in the Philly region?
Very.
This likely will be the coldest it’s been around here in three years, with single-digit lows even in the city Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with wind chills below zero, and daytime temperatures in the teens. Well below-normal temperatures are forecast to persist through the week.
The weather service warns that the cold could endanger water pipes and stress heating systems.
And not a bad time to check the status of your car battery.
Are any more snow threats on the horizon?
Threats, yes. Actual snow? We’ll see.
“We’ll be keeping a close eye around midweek,” said Buckingham.
Yet another virtual snow threat for late next week has been getting some buzz. Buckingham, however, suggests waiting until you see the whites of the flakes.
A southern storm track will be active, he said, but that dry Siberian air mass may keep it suppressed.
“It’s tough to determine if any of that storm track will curt up the East Coast or just slide its way off with minimal impacts.”
Or maybe yet another 0.3 inches.