St. Patrick's Day

Winter's Last Blast: Cold Temps, Then Snow

Winter is holding on through the final official day of the season, bringing a blast of cold air after a mild St. Patrick's day and snow to kick off spring.

The cold returned Wednesday following two days of temperatures in the 60s, with the day’s high only reaching the mid-40s.  

Wind gusts were expected to reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, making it even chillier.

The winds will die down Thursday, but temperatures will remain in the 40s as clouds move into the region and bring with it a high chance of snow.

Friday marks the beginning of spring, but it won’t seem much like winter is over, as many people’s morning commute will be slowed by snow.

The white stuff will start falling around 6 a.m. in areas north and west (north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and west of the Blue Route), said NBC10 First Alert chief meteorologist Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz.

It’ll move across the area during the morning rush, making things slippery for drivers on untreated roads.

Timeline:

  • 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. - Snow starts falling north and west of Philly and will move SW to NE
  • 9 a.m. - noon - Snow (rain mix south and east)
  • Noon - 5 p.m. - Snow/rain mix (snow north and west/rain south and east)
  • 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. - Mix ends

How strong the March sun is Friday will determine if snow will continue through the afternoon commute or if it will turn to a wintry mix or all rain, said Glenn. And if the snowfall is gentle, it’s not likely to stick.

If the snowfall is heavy and fast, areas north and west could see 3" to 6". The I-95 corridor will anywhere from 1" to 3" and a trace to an inch down the shore.

All precipitation is expected to end Friday evening.

The weekend will be dry with highs in the low 50s Saturday and upper 40s Sunday. There's another chance of snow next Tuesday for areas south of the city.

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