Weekend Snow Chances Increase For PA, Forecasters Say

Frigid temperatures over the coming days will create prime conditions for accumulating snowfall in the greater Philadelphia area when a storm arrives this weekend, forecasters said.

The first wave of the storm could arrive as early as Friday night. While only a small amount of snow is currently expected on Friday, that could change if the storm front is able to develop enough moisture, Accuweather says.

The larger front will arrive Saturday night, with snow expected to begin after midnight and overnight into Sunday.

The range is anywhere from 1 to around 3 inches all throughout the I-95 corridor, according to Accuweather. The ultimate total will depend upon how cold it stays, and whether all of the precipitation falls as snow or if some comes down as a wintry mix.

Regardless, "there is the likelihood for the first accumulating snow of the season in the Interstate 95 corridor from Philadelphia to New York City and Boston this weekend,” AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said.

Impacts on travel could be significant.

"Motorists and airline passengers in the Northeast this weekend should be prepared for one or more periods of snow that result in travel delays," Accuweather added. "This includes the millions of people that reside in or will be traveling through Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston."

The storm is expected to linger until around 1 p.m. on Sunday before giving way to several relatively clear days. Temperatures are predicted to plummet to 18 overnight on Sunday, so anything that remains on the ground will freeze.

Several cold days will lead up to the storm's arrival, with a high of only 36 Thursday and 37 on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Here's the full forecast for the coming week, according to the National Weather Service:

Thursday
Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Breezy, with a west wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 26. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. West wind around 5 mph.

Friday Night
A slight chance of snow after 1 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Light southwest wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night
Snow likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Sunday
A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 31. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 18.

Monday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.

Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.

Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 41.