Honestly, if you've lived in Philadelphia for more than a week in January, you know the drill. You check the app, see a snowflake icon, and immediately wonder if you need to raid the Heirloom Giant for milk and bread or if it’s just going to be another "slush-pocalypse" that ruins your shoes but doesn't close the schools.
Right now, the 10 day philly weather outlook is looking like a chaotic sandwich. We’ve got a messy mix of rain and snow today, Saturday, January 17, followed by a legitimate plunge into the deep freeze that’s going to make the Schuylkill look like a giant popsicle.
The Immediate Mess: Rain, Snow, and Grey Skies
Today is basically the embodiment of "undecided." We are sitting at a current temperature of 35°F with a southwest wind at 7 mph. It’s that damp, biting cold that gets into your bones. The forecast for the rest of Saturday, January 17, holds a high of 38°F and a low of 31°F.
Expect a 45% chance of snow during the day, which will likely transition into a rain-snow mix because the atmosphere just can't make up its mind. Tonight, the chance of precipitation stays around 40%. It’s going to be cloudy, it’s going to be damp, and if you’re driving near the Vine Street Expressway, watch out for those "slippery spots" the meteorologists are always tweeting about.
Sunday’s Slush and the Monday Transition
Tomorrow, Sunday, January 18, we’re looking at snow showers with a high of 34°F. The chance of snow is holding steady at 45%.
👉 See also: Pope Leo XIV: What Most People Get Wrong About the New American Pope
But here’s the kicker: Sunday night is when the floor drops out.
The temperature is expected to tank to 20°F. By Monday, January 19, the sun finally comes out, but it’s a "fake sun." You know the one—it looks beautiful through the window, but the second you step outside, the 13 mph southwest winds hit your face like a frozen bag of peas. We’ll see a high of 34°F and a low of 18°F.
The Arctic Blast Hits Tuesday
If you have a heavy coat, Tuesday, January 20, is the day to find it. This is the peak of the cold snap.
- High: 24°F
- Low: 14°F
- Conditions: Sunny (but don't let it fool you)
- Wind: West at 11 mph
Basically, it’s going to be one of those days where the wind chill makes it feel like single digits. If you're waiting for the Septa bus, standing on a corner in Center City is going to be brutal.
Looking Toward Next Weekend: More Snow?
Wednesday and Thursday (January 21–22) offer a tiny bit of "warmth"—if you can call a high of 44°F warm. We’ll see some partly sunny skies, but don’t get too comfortable.
💡 You might also like: April 19th Florida Man: Why This Date Always Seems to Bring the Weirdness
By the time we hit the tail end of this 10-day stretch, the models are sniffing out another potential system. Sunday, January 25, currently shows a 25% to 55% chance of snow with a high of only 22°F. This isn't the "slushy mix" we’re seeing today; this is the kind of cold where snow actually sticks and stays.
Philly Weather Realities: What You Actually Need to Do
Weather forecasting in the Delaware Valley is notoriously difficult because we’re caught between the Appalachian mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. A shift of 20 miles in a storm track is the difference between an inch of slush and a foot of powder.
- Check your tire pressure. This 30-degree swing from Saturday to Tuesday is a guaranteed way to trigger that annoying "low pressure" light on your dashboard.
- Drip the pipes. If you live in one of those beautiful but drafty Trinity houses in Queen Village, Tuesday night (14°F) is prime time for frozen pipes.
- Watch the Sunday night freeze. Since Sunday has a 45% chance of snow showers followed by a drop to 20°F, anything that melts during the day is going to turn into a sheet of black ice by Monday morning’s commute.
The 10 day philly weather forecast shows a clear pattern: a messy weekend, a frigid midweek, and a very uncertain, potentially snowy following weekend. Keep the salt handy and maybe finally buy that ice scraper you’ve been meaning to get.