Snow is coming. Honestly, if you live in Philly, you've probably already seen the gray sky today and felt that specific, biting dampness that means the atmosphere is about to dump something messy on the Schuylkill.
Right now, it’s 33°F. It feels like 28°F. That five-degree gap is basically the difference between "I can handle this" and "Where are my wool socks?" The wind is coming from the south at a lazy 6 mph, but don't let that fool you. Things are shifting.
The weather Philadelphia 7 day outlook is a bit of a rollercoaster, starting with a 75% chance of snow and rain today, Saturday, January 17. High of 38°F, low of 31°F. It’s that classic Mid-Atlantic "slop" where you aren't sure if you need a shovel or an umbrella.
The Immediate Mess: Saturday and Sunday
By tonight, the rain pulls a disappearing act, leaving us with a 35% chance of straight snow and a low of 31°F. If you're heading out to Fishtown or Center City, watch the sidewalks. That transition from 38°F down to freezing is exactly how black ice happens.
Sunday isn't much better. We’re looking at a high of 34°F and a 40% chance of light snow during the day. It’s not a "stockpile bread and milk" kind of storm, but it's enough to make the I-95 commute a headache. By Sunday night, the sky clears out, but the temperature craters to 20°F.
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That is a 14-degree drop in just a few hours.
The Mid-Week Deep Freeze
Monday, January 19, brings the sun back, but it's a cold comfort. We'll hit 35°F with a southwest wind at 13 mph. It’s a dry cold, though, with humidity dropping to 53%.
Then Tuesday hits.
Tuesday is the day you’ll want to check your pipes. The high is only 24°F. The low? A brutal 16°F. This is "Code Blue" territory for the city. If you’ve got exposed pipes in a drafty basement, the Philadelphia Water Department usually suggests letting a faucet trickle. Better a slightly higher water bill than a burst pipe in a crawlspace.
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The wind will be coming from the west at 14 mph, making that 24°F feel significantly colder. Basically, if you don't have to be outside on Tuesday, don't be.
7-Day Quick Breakdown
- Saturday: Rain/Snow mix (75% chance). High 38°F / Low 31°F.
- Sunday: Light snow (40% chance). High 34°F / Low 20°F.
- Monday: Sunny but chilly. High 35°F / Low 19°F.
- Tuesday: Frigid and clear. High 24°F / Low 16°F.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny. High 37°F / Low 17°F.
- Thursday: Snow returns (35% chance). High 39°F / Low 24°F.
- Friday: Partly sunny. High 38°F / Low 23°F.
Why Philly Weather is So Hard to Predict
People love to complain about meteorologists, but the Delaware Valley is a nightmare to forecast. We’re caught between the Appalachian mountains to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
When a storm moves up the coast—a Nor'easter—the "rain-snow line" often sits right on top of Philadelphia. A shift of just 10 miles east or west determines if we get 6 inches of powder or a cold, miserable drizzle.
This week’s weather Philadelphia 7 day forecast shows exactly that struggle. Thursday, January 22, has another 35% chance of snow with a high of 39°F. Again, we are hovering right on that edge. It’s warm enough for the snow to melt as it hits the ground, but cold enough to freeze back into a sheet of ice the second the sun goes down.
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Survival Tips for the Week
Check your car battery. Cold kills batteries that are already on their last legs. If yours is more than three years old, a 16-degree Tuesday morning might be its final act.
Also, watch the wind direction. We’ve got winds switching from South to Southwest to West this week. That West wind on Tuesday is coming straight off the land, which is why it’s so much drier and colder than the Saturday air.
The humidity on Wednesday is expected to be a bone-dry 30%. Your skin is going to hate it. Get the heavy-duty lotion out now.
What’s Next?
The end of the week looks slightly more stable. Friday, January 23, should be partly sunny with a high of 38°F. No major precipitation is expected for the start of next weekend, but in Philly, "no major precipitation" usually just means "wait five minutes."
Actionable Next Steps:
- Drip the Faucets: Plan to leave a slow trickle running on Monday night into Tuesday to prevent pipe freezes.
- Salt the Walkway: Get your salt or sand ready before the Saturday/Sunday transition to avoid a skating rink on your front steps.
- Check the Car: Ensure your tire pressure is correct; it drops significantly when the temp hits those 16°F lows.