New Year’s will ring in unusually warm in Philly, with little forecast of snow for the near future
Philadelphia's weather looks to be relatively mild for the near future with highs well above freezing in the forecast.
The Mummers will strut their stuff Sunday amid temperatures in the upper 50s, if not close to 60 — unseasonably mild weather that could set a tone for January.
The normal high is 42 degrees.
For Saturday, AccuWeather is forecasting a high of about 58 degrees with afternoon showers. New Year’s Day looks to be more sun-filled and breezy, with an expected high of 59 by the time the String Band and Fancy divisions progress on Broad Street.
But don’t expect a cold trend or measurable snow for at least the first few weeks of January, so named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, who could see both past and future.
Though the recent past featured bitter cold in late December, temperatures look to be relatively mild for the near future with highs well above freezing in the forecast.
In fact, Wednesday, which has a chance of showers, could reach 66 degrees, close to the record high of 68 set in 1950.
“We’re seeing temperatures running 15 to 25 degrees above normal to start January,” Joseph Bauer, a meteorologist with AccuWeather, said regarding Philadelphia and much of the country. “The first couple days of January and next week is going to be very warm.”
However, Bauer said, the city should see a return to more normal temperatures by the end of next week as a cold front and storm move in.
Though forecasts longer than a week or so are always a bit risky, AccuWeather, based in State College, expects little snow accumulation for at least the first half of the month, though there’s potential for an occasional “wintry mix” or some light snow.
Philadelphia averages 12.1 inches of snow in January.
Bauer sees a range of 8 to 12 inches for the month.
The current mild spell, he said, comes from a ridge of high pressure that is sucking in warmer air off the Gulf of Mexico, combined with a low-pressure system spinning in the Pacific that’s also bringing milder air.
“For the rest of the month, we’ll see ups and downs,” Bauer said, “With warm-ups being more frequent than cooldowns. We’ll have to keep an eye out later in the month for a more substantial cooldown, but that might not happen until early February.”
Though no one says cold Januarys, or even prolonged cold spells, are a thing of the past, Climate Central — a Princeton-based nonprofit staffed by scientists and journalists — has found that since 1970, winters have warmed by 3.3 degrees on average across 238 U.S. locations.
Philadelphia winters, however, have warmed by 5 degrees. Winter is the fastest-warming season in the United States.
Here’s AccuWeather’s near-term forecast:
Friday should be sunny and mild with a high of about 56 degrees and an overnight low of 42.
Saturday will also see an expected high of 56, but with rain moving in by later afternoon and lasting into the early morning hours.
Sunday, New Year’s Day, looks promising with a high of 62 degrees and a small chance of lingering rain.
Monday, the official work holiday for many, is also forecast to be mild, but cloudy, with a high of 56 degrees.
The following few days will remain mild with some rain expected midweek. High temperatures are forecast to drop into the 40s by next Friday.