You've probably noticed it. The air in Philly has been weirdly soft for mid-January. It’s that classic "January Thaw" we get every few years, where you almost think about leaving the heavy parka at home. But don't do it. Honestly, if you live anywhere near the Delaware Valley, you know that a 50-degree Wednesday in January is usually just a setup for a punch to the gut by the weekend.
Philadelphia weather for the next 10 days is looking like a chaotic ride from spring-like drizzle to "stay inside and order Wawa" levels of cold.
The immediate forecast is basically a battle between lingering mild air and a massive cold front that’s currently barreling toward the East Coast. While we’ve enjoyed some unseasonably warm afternoons lately, the atmospheric reality is shifting. Experts at the National Weather Service (NWS) are tracking a significant pattern change—a weakening of the Polar Vortex that’s about to spill Arctic air right onto Broad Street.
The Cold Front is Closer Than It Looks
Let’s talk about the immediate shift. Tomorrow, Thursday, January 15, is when the "real" winter starts to claw its way back. We’re looking at a high around 36°F, which isn't terrible until you factor in the wind. We are expecting gusts from the west at about 16 mph. It’s going to feel like the low 20s.
If you're commuting, be ready for some scattered snow showers. It probably won't be a "close the schools" event, but it’ll be enough to make the Schuylkill Expressway even more of a headache than usual.
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Friday stays chilly and mostly cloudy. The high will hover around 35°F. It’s the kind of damp, grey Philly day that makes you want to drink an entire pot of coffee. But the big story is Saturday.
Saturday’s Messy Mix
Saturday, January 17, is looking complicated. We have a system coming in that’s caught between a warm nudge from the south and that Arctic air we mentioned. This means we are likely looking at a messy mix of rain and snow.
- Morning: Potential for light snow as temperatures sit near freezing.
- Afternoon: A "warm" bump to 41°F will likely flip that snow over to a cold, miserable rain.
- Evening: As the sun goes down, anything wet on the ground is going to freeze solid.
Basically, if you have plans to head into Center City on Saturday night, watch your step on those cobblestone streets. Black ice is a high probability.
The Polar Vortex Returns Next Week
Once we clear that Saturday system, the floodgates open. The "thaw" is officially over by Sunday. We’re looking at a high of just 32°F on Sunday, January 18, with some lingering snow showers.
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But Tuesday? Tuesday is going to be brutal.
The forecast for Tuesday, January 20, is currently showing a high of only 23°F. That is well below the historical average for Philadelphia in late January. The low that night is expected to drop into the teens—somewhere around 14°F.
This isn't just "chilly." This is the kind of cold that freezes pipes and makes your car struggle to start. It’s a direct result of that Polar Vortex disruption that meteorologists have been warning about for the last two weeks. When that cold air spills out of the Arctic, it doesn't just pass through; it tends to park itself right over the Northeast for a few days.
Looking Toward the 10-Day Horizon
By the time we get to the end of next week, around January 22 and 23, things might moderate slightly, but don't expect another 50-degree day. We’ll likely see highs climb back into the low 40s, but another system is already showing up on the long-range models for Friday night.
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AccuWeather and the NWS are both keeping an eye on a potential "snow event" for Friday, January 23. It’s too early to call for inches, but the setup is there for some real accumulation.
Why Philly Weather is So Hard to Predict
Philly sits in a weird spot. We’re close enough to the ocean to get that "coastal tempering," which often keeps us as rain when Allentown is getting buried in snow. But we’re also just far enough inland that if a storm tracks even 20 miles further east, we get the "jackpot" of snow.
This 10-day window is a perfect example of that. We are transitioning from a mild, wet pattern into a deep freeze.
Actionable Tips for the Coming Cold
Since we know the temperature is about to crater, there are a few things you should probably handle before Tuesday hits:
- Check your tires. Cold air makes tire pressure drop. If your "low air" light wasn't on this morning, it probably will be by Sunday.
- Drip the faucets. When we hit that 14°F low on Tuesday night, older Philly rowhomes are notorious for frozen pipes. A tiny drip can save you a $500 plumber bill.
- Salt the walks early. Saturday’s rain-to-freeze transition is the perfect recipe for a skating rink on your sidewalk. Getting some brine or salt down before the Saturday evening freeze is a pro move.
- Reverse your ceiling fans. Most people forget this. If you flip the switch so the blades spin clockwise, it pushes the warm air trapped at the ceiling back down to where you actually live.
The philadelphia weather for the next 10 days is going to be a test of patience and layers. Enjoy the relative mildness of tonight, because by the time Monday morning rolls around, you’ll be wishing for these 40-degree rains. Keep an eye on the local radar as we get closer to Saturday, as that rain/snow line is still "kinda" up in the air depending on how fast that cold front moves through.
Prepare for the Tuesday deep freeze now, and you'll be much happier when the rest of the city is shivering.