Honestly, if you've lived in Philadelphia long enough, you know the routine. You check the app, see a snowflake icon, buy three gallons of milk, and then wake up to... a puddle. Or worse, a sheet of ice that turns the Schuylkill Expressway into a skating rink. Predicting the philly weather 15 day forecast right now is like trying to guess the winner of a Mummers parade before the first strut—it’s chaotic, occasionally messy, and full of surprises.
We are currently sitting in that classic mid-to-late January "Siberian stretch." It’s that part of the winter where the Canadian air finally decides to move south and stay for a bit. Looking at the data for mid-January 2026, the city is caught between two worlds: a stubborn ridge of high pressure and a fast-moving jet stream that's throwing "clipper" systems at us like a pitcher with no aim.
The Immediate Outlook: Slush and Shivers
Let’s get into the weeds of the next few days. Today, Saturday, January 17, is basically a microcosm of our local struggle. We're looking at a high of 38°F with light rain and a humidity level of 71%. It feels damp. It feels heavy. The southwest wind at 9 mph isn't helping much either. Tonight, the temperature dips to 31°F, which is the danger zone for anything that stayed wet on the roads.
Tomorrow, Sunday, the 18th, things get a bit more "winter-coded." We’re tracking snow showers with a high of 34°F and a low of 20°F. If you have plans on I-95, keep an eye on the northwest wind; it’s going to be kicking up at 11 mph, making that 34 feel significantly more like 22.
The Mid-Range: The Deep Freeze
If you hate the cold, Tuesday, January 20, is going to be your personal villain arc. We’re forecasting a high of only 24°F. That is a solid ten degrees below the seasonal average. With a low of 16°F and clear skies, the "radiational cooling" is going to be intense. Basically, any heat the city managed to soak up during the day is going to vanish into the atmosphere the second the sun goes down.
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Interestingly, the philly weather 15 day forecast shows a brief, weird spike on Thursday, January 22. We might actually hit 41°F with some light snow. How does that work? It’s a classic "overrunning" event—warm, moist air from the south slides over the top of the cold air already sitting at the surface. You get snow while it's "warm" out, which usually leads to that heavy, heart-attack-inducing slush.
Why the 15-Day Outlook is So Volatile
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service and local stations like CBS Philadelphia have been tracking a transition to "ENSO-neutral" conditions this winter. Basically, the La Niña that dominated earlier years is fading out. This leaves us with a "blocked" pattern.
When the atmospheric steering currents get blocked, weather systems move slower or get stuck. That’s why we see five days of sun followed by three days of "will-it-won't-it" snow threats. For the final week of January (the 25th through the 31st), the models are leaning toward a "colder and drier" trend, though we are keeping an eye on a potential coastal low around the 29th.
The Reality of "Average" Snowfall
People always ask if this is a "normal" winter. So far in 2026, Philadelphia is hovering right around the 5-inch mark for total snowfall. That’s remarkably average. However, the temperature swings are anything but. We’ve gone from 50-degree rainy days to 15-degree arctic blasts in the span of 48 hours. This volatility is the real story of the philly weather 15 day forecast.
Surviving the Next Two Weeks
Don't get tricked by the sunny days on Monday and Tuesday. Even when the sun is out, that 13 mph west wind is going to make it feel brutal.
- Check your tire pressure: These 20-degree drops in temperature will trigger your "low air" light faster than you can say "Wawa run."
- Salt early: If you see "light rain" in the forecast with a low of 31°F (like tonight), that's a recipe for black ice.
- Watch the wind chill: On Wednesday, January 21, the high is 36°F, but the real-feel will be in the teens most of the day.
The end of January looks to remain chilly, with highs struggling to break 30°F around the 24th and 25th. It’s a long road to Spring, but at least the days are getting a few minutes longer each week. Keep the heavy coat at the front of the closet; you’re going to need it through the end of the month.