Surge of Cold Air Could Bring Accumulating Snow
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--Any roller coaster fans out there? Think of this weather pattern like speeding to the top of Six Flags' Kingda Ka, then nosediving just as swiftly!
First we're teased with a taste of mid-April.
Tuesday's midday rain helps usher in a surge of warmth to send the Delaware Valley into the low 60's by Wednesday. The February 8th record to beat in Philly is 63 degrees. I think we at least tie it. Bonus, we'll see a mix of sun and clouds through the daylight hours, so you'll be able to enjoy the warmth while it lasts (though you'll also notice a cool northwest breeze).
COLD AIR COULD BRING SNOW
Ok, snow lovers. Let's get to the good stuff! On the heels of this roughly 20-degree departure from norm, MUCH colder air rushes in Wednesday night into Thursday morning. At the same time, an area of low pressure develops to our south. Things working on the system's side: the cover of darkness, dropping temps, rapid intensification, and ample moisture. All these things lead to a high likelihood that many of us wake up to an accumulating snow already underway.
TIMING
Set your alarm early! You'll want to plan for delays and slow travel (if not some cancellations) Thursday morning. The precip likely gets going right around midnight Thursday, give or take an hour or two. The changeover from rain to snow will happen pretty quickly, or it'll start as snow right off the bat. Snow will continue to fall through all of the morning commute, and possibly as late as lunchtime.
Worth a mention, we'll also have a few wind driven snow showers or squalls Thursday afternoon in the wake of the storm's departure.
AMOUNTS
Anyone residing along or northwest of I-95 can expect a general 2-4" of snow, locally it's possible a few spots pick up 6".
The central sliver of southern New Jersey (from Salem up to central Ocean counties) and southern New Castle and northern Kent counties in Delaware can expect 1-2". The rest of Delaware and southernmost New Jersey can expect nothing more than an inch of snow.
Stay with CBSPhilly.com for the latest on the approaching storm: Latest Forecast | Radar | Traffic Map | School Closings/Delays
