Checking the Philadelphia weather forecast for sunday has become a bit of a ritual this week. We’re deep into January 2026, and the city is finally feeling the bite of a real Northeast winter. If you’ve been looking at the models, you know things are looking "busy," to put it lightly.
Honestly, it’s been a weird season. We started with some mild streaks, but now the jet stream is acting up, and Philly is caught right in the crosshairs of two potential coastal systems.
Sunday, January 18, is the day everyone is circling. Whether you’re planning a run to Reading Terminal Market or just trying to figure out if you’ll be shoveling the sidewalk before the Eagles game, the data is starting to solidify.
The Sunday Outlook: Cold, Brisk, and Maybe White
Right now, the National Weather Service and local meteorologists like the NEXT Weather team are tracking a high of around 32°F or 34°F. That’s the freezing mark, or just a hair above it. It's that classic Philly "will it or won't it" setup.
The morning looks mostly sunny, but don't let the light fool you. It’s going to be cold. Expect a low around 23°F the night before, meaning any slush or puddles from the week’s earlier rain/snow mix will be rock-hard ice by Sunday morning.
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Here is the breakdown of what we’re actually looking at for the Philadelphia weather forecast for sunday:
- Daytime Sky: Partly sunny to mostly cloudy as the day progresses.
- The Wind Factor: This is the real story. We’re expecting west winds around 12 to 15 mph, with gusts that could make it feel like the low 20s.
- Precipitation: There is currently a 30% to 40% chance of rain and snow showers.
It’s not a guaranteed "Snowmaggedon," but it’s enough to keep the salt trucks on standby. The timing is the tricky part. Most models suggest that if we see flakes, they’ll arrive later in the afternoon or evening as a secondary low-pressure system tries to develop off the coast.
Why the Forecast is Flickering
Weather in the Delaware Valley is notoriously difficult to pin down because of the "I-95 Corridor Effect." A ten-mile shift in a storm track is the difference between three inches of powder in Fishtown and a cold, miserable drizzle in South Philly.
Meteorologist Paul Pastelok recently noted that the behavior of the first storm (the one hitting Thursday/Friday) dictates everything for Sunday. If that first system stays weak and moves out to sea quickly, it leaves the door open for Sunday’s system to track further north. If the first storm is a "monster," it usually sucks all the moisture and energy out of the atmosphere, leaving Sunday cold but dry.
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Basically, nature doesn't like to repeat itself too quickly.
What the Models Are Whispering
The European model (ECMWF) has been leaning toward a drier Sunday, while the GFS (the American model) has flirted with a "clipping" system that brings light snow to the city. When you look at the Philadelphia weather forecast for sunday across different platforms, you’ll see that 30% chance of snow. That number represents the uncertainty of the storm's "hook"—the moment it decides to turn toward the coast or keep heading east toward the Atlantic.
Survival Guide for a Philly Sunday
If you’re heading out, you’ve gotta layer. This isn't "hoodie weather" anymore.
- Footwear matters: Even if it doesn't snow on Sunday, the freeze-thaw cycle from Friday’s moisture means black ice is a high probability on side streets.
- The Wind Chill: With a high of 34°F and 15 mph winds, the "RealFeel" will likely stay in the low 20s all day. If you're tailgating or standing outside, double up on the socks.
- Travel Prep: If the 40% snow chance hits, it’ll likely be "greasy" snow—the kind that melts on impact but turns to ice as the sun goes down. Keep the washer fluid topped off; the salt spray on I-76 will be brutal.
Looking Past Sunday
Looking at the broader January 2026 trends, this cold snap isn't a one-off. We’re in a weak La Niña pattern that is transitioning toward "neutral." Historically, that means we get these volatile bursts of Arctic air followed by weirdly warm rainstorms.
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After Sunday, the temperatures look to stay "seasonal," meaning we won't see a massive warmup anytime soon. Monday and Tuesday are looking clear but remained chilly, with highs struggling to break 40°F.
The big takeaway? Keep the shovel by the door, but don't cancel your Sunday plans just yet. Just leave ten minutes early to defrost the windshield.
Check your local radar on Sunday morning around 10:00 AM. That’s usually when the "radar echoes" start showing if those snow showers are actually going to hold together or dry up before they hit the Schuylkill. Stay warm, Philly.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Hourly Radar: On Sunday morning, use the NWS Philadelphia "Hourly Weather Graph" to see exactly when the wind gusts and precipitation chances peak.
- Salt the Walkways: Do this Saturday night. Preventing the ice bond is much easier than chipping it away Sunday morning.
- Monitor the Thursday Storm: The severity of Sunday's weather depends entirely on how much moisture the Thursday/Friday system leaves behind.