Honestly, if you’re looking out the window in Philly right now, things probably look a little quiet. Kinda still. It’s a typical mid-January night, but there is definitely something brewing in the atmosphere that’s going to make your Sunday morning coffee look a lot more interesting.
Right now, Philadelphia is sitting at a crisp 29°F. It’s cloudy, the air is heavy with 94% humidity, and the wind is barely a whisper coming from the south at 2 mph. Basically, it’s the calm before the slush.
The Sunday Slush: What's the Weather Like Today in Philadelphia?
If you're planning to sleep in, you picked the right day. The forecast for Sunday, January 18, is calling for snow showers with a high of 33°F. Now, that number is the "danger zone" for snow lovers. When the mercury hovers right at 33 or 34, we get that heavy, wet, heart-attack snow that’s more like a Slurpee than a winter wonderland.
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The city is looking at a 40% chance of snow during the day, jumping slightly to 45% as we head into the night.
Experts like Bill Kelly and the team over at CBS Philadelphia are tracking a coastal low that’s hugging the I-95 corridor. It’s one of those "will it or won't it" setups. If that low moves just a few miles closer, we're looking at 2 to 4 inches of the white stuff. If it stays out to sea? Just a few flakes and a lot of damp pavement.
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The Timeline You Actually Need
- Early Morning (Pre-dawn): Things start getting messy. We might see some light snow or rain-snow mix moving in from the south.
- Late Morning: This is the pivot point. As the system develops, rain is expected to change over to snow for most of the Metro Philly area.
- Afternoon: The snow shifts toward South Jersey, but we'll still feel the chill with a north wind picking up to 8 mph.
- Nighttime: Things clear out, but the temperature drops to a bone-chilling 19°F.
That 19-degree low is the real story. Anything that melts or stays wet during the day is going to turn into a sheet of ice by Monday morning. It’s the classic Philly flash-freeze.
Why the "Dangerous Cold" Tuesday is the Real Boss
While everyone is obsessing over whether they’ll need a shovel on Sunday, the real weather monster is lurking behind it. Tuesday is shaping up to be the coldest air we’ve seen all season. We’re talking morning lows between 5 and 15 degrees.
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Wind chills? They could dive as low as -15°F. That's the kind of cold that hurts your face the second you step out of the door. If you have pets or plants that shouldn't be outside, Monday night is your deadline to get them situated.
Survival Steps for the Next 48 Hours
- Salt the walk tonight: Don't wait for the Sunday slush to freeze on Sunday night. Getting a layer down now makes a huge difference.
- Check the wipers: Philly snow is heavy. Make sure your blades aren't frozen to the windshield before you try to clear the Sunday morning mess.
- Drip the pipes: With that Tuesday deep freeze coming, start thinking about your plumbing now, especially if you live in one of the older row homes with less-than-stellar insulation.
The "slushy accumulation" expected for Sunday might not shut the city down, but it’s definitely going to make the I-95 commute a headache. Keep an eye on the radar, keep the salt handy, and maybe just stay inside with some scrapple and coffee.
Next Steps for Philadelphians:
Check your vehicle's antifreeze levels and tire pressure today. Cold snaps like the one arriving Tuesday are notorious for triggering "low pressure" sensors and killing older car batteries. If your battery is more than three years old, a 5-degree morning might be its breaking point.