Honestly, if you looked out your window in Center City this morning and saw a dusting, you probably thought, "Here we go again." Another day of Philly slush that disappears by lunch. But the philadelphia weather hourly today is actually doing something a bit more annoying. We are sitting in that weird temperature pocket where the air is just cold enough to keep the flakes falling, but the ground is warm enough to turn everything into a gray, salty soup.
It’s currently 35°F as of mid-afternoon. It feels like 30°F because that southwest wind is pulling at about 6 mph, making the dampness bite just a little harder. If you’re heading out to Broad Street or trying to catch the SEPTA, you’ve basically got a window of "mostly cloudy" skies before the next little wave of moisture hits.
What the hourly breakdown looks like for the rest of Saturday
Most of the heavy lifting from this system happened early. We saw that "NEXT Weather Alert" from local meteorologists like Bill Kelly and Tammie Souza earlier today, and they were spot on about the accumulation—or lack thereof. In the city, we’re looking at under an inch. But go north to Upper Bucks or Chester County, and it’s a totally different story with 1 to 3 inches of the heavy, wet stuff.
Here is how the rest of your evening is going to play out:
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By 4 PM, we are hovering right at 35°F. The clouds are hanging low, about 93% coverage, so don't expect to see even a sliver of a sunset. The chance of precipitation is low, maybe 10%, but the humidity is a staggering 86%. It's that "wet cold" that gets into your bones.
Around 6 PM, the temp drops to 33°F. This is the danger zone. While the official "current conditions" show a southwest wind, the shift to a more stagnant air mass means any moisture left on the sidewalks is going to start that slow transition to ice.
By 8 PM, we hit 32°F. It'll stay mostly cloudy. If you're out for dinner in Rittenhouse or Fishtown, the "RealFeel" is going to be stuck at 31°F. It’s not "Arctic tundra" cold, but it’s certainly "gloves and a scarf" cold.
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Late tonight, after midnight, there’s actually a secondary chance of light rain or snow showers. The low is bottoming out at 31°F, which is just high enough to keep us from a total flash freeze, but low enough to make Sunday morning's dog walk a slippery mess.
The science of why Philly misses the big totals
Why does this keep happening? Basically, it's the "urban heat island" effect mixed with our proximity to the Delaware River. While the Lehigh Valley is getting hammered with 5 inches of slush, Philadelphia's asphalt and concrete hold onto the previous day's warmth.
According to historical data from the National Weather Service, January usually sees about 11 days of some kind of precipitation. Today is fitting that mold perfectly. We aren't seeing a blockbuster blizzard because the storm's "comma head"—the part with the heaviest snow—is tracking just a bit too far north and west.
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Survival steps for tonight and tomorrow morning
If you’re driving, watch the bridges. The Ben Franklin and the Walt Whitman always freeze before the surface streets. Even though the chance of snow drops to 0% by 7 PM, the 94% humidity means the air is basically saturated. Fog and mist are likely to settle in near the airport and along the river.
- Salt your steps now. Don't wait until 10 PM when that 31°F temperature locks in. The residual moisture from this afternoon's "partly sunny" peeks will turn into a thin sheet of black ice.
- Check your tire pressure. This 35°F to 31°F swing is exactly when your "low pressure" light likes to pop on.
- Plan for Sunday. The forecast for tomorrow actually looks a bit more aggressive for snow, with a 70% chance of accumulation between 1 to 3 inches starting in the morning. Today was the appetizer; tomorrow might be the actual meal.
Keep an eye on the barometer, which is currently sitting at 30.04 in. A steady drop tonight would mean that secondary system for Sunday is arriving faster than expected. For now, stay dry, keep the boots by the door, and maybe skip the car wash until at least Wednesday when we finally dry out.