Winter Storm Warnings Issued In 5 PA Counties: See Latest Forecast

PENNSYLVANIA - A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of Pennsylvania, where up to 6 inches of snow are expected alongside treacherous driving conditions and possible school closures.

The winter storm warning has been issued in five Pennsylvania counties from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service, affecting the southeastern Pennsylvania counties of Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks. Snowfall is slated to begin around 4 to 7 a.m. Friday, with the steadiest drop to take place in the late morning through Friday afternoon.

“Almost the entire area will see accumulating snow,” the National Weather Service Mount Holly station wrote, adding that most counties will see 2 to 5 inches of snowfall, although 6 inches of accumulation will be possible in eastern Pennsylvania and central and southern New Jersey.

"This will be a colder storm than most have grown accustomed to in much of the Midwest and the Northeast in that the lower ground and air temperatures combined with the fluffy or grainy nature of the snow will quickly accumulate on streets and highways," AccuWeather meteorologists said.

⚠️❄️ Forecast snowfall totals have increased slightly across the area. Snow will begin between 4-7 AM Friday then continue into the evening. Portions of the urban corridor and points east were upgraded to Winter Storm Warnings, where 4-6" is forecast. #PAwx #NJwx #DEwx #MDwx pic.twitter.com/vFaTepY6gR
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 18, 2024

A winter weather advisory will also be in effect from 4 to 10 a.m. Friday across most Pennsylvania counties due to dangerously icy conditions.

"Plan on slippery road conditions," the National Weather Service said. "The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. Temperatures will rapidly drop into the teens late Friday night. Any untreated roads will become icy and dangerous."

The new storm will trigger “deicing operations as the snow spreads across the major airport hubs and the smaller regional airports,” according to an AccuWeather report. “Flight cancellations will mount as airlines fall behind schedule and crews and aircraft are displaced.”

The snowfall is expected to taper off from west to east late Friday afternoon through Friday evening, though freezing or near-freezing temperatures are expected to linger through Sunday.

Here’s the latest forecast, according to the National Weather Service:

Thursday: Cloudy, with a high near 34. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: A chance of snow, mainly after 2 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday: Snow. High near 32. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Friday Night: A chance of snow before 1 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 17. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 25. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15.