We are no longer updating this article. All new updates for Saturday’s winter storm can be found here.
What to Know about coastal winter storm
- We are expecting a winter storm to impact neighborhoods throughout the Delaware and Lehigh valleys this weekend, beginning Saturday.
- The storm is expected to arrive midday Saturday. A First Alert will be in effect into Sunday morning for the colder Pennsylvania suburbs, Berks County and the Lehigh Valley.
- Be sure to keep checking back with NBC10 News on air, online and in our app for the latest storm tracks, snow/rain predictions and timing.
The first significant snow in about two years could hit parts of the Philadelphia region this weekend, however it isn't expected to snow everywhere as some places get some sleet before it changes over to just rain.
The NBC10 First Alert Weather Team issued a First Alert for accumulating snow and hazardous travel for the western Pennsylvania suburbs, Berks County and the Lehigh Valley from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.
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We want to make sure you have time to get ready for whatever Mother Nature brings. So, get your snow shovels ready and keep reading to see if you'll need them where you live.
Hours ahead of the first flakes potentially falling on Saturday, here's what we know so far about how the storm that will impact Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, the Pennsylvania suburbs, South Jersey and Delaware into Sunday.
What we know about the snow, rain chances at this point
The storm system was moving eastward across the country Friday after dumping snow on parts of Texas, developing into a nor'easter as it approaches the Delaware and New Jersey coasts Saturday.
Many neighborhoods could get snowflakes on the front-end of the storm. The first flakes could start falling in Delaware during the late morning. Snow then starts to fall in the rest of the region during the afternoon.
The storm should intensify by Saturday evening, continuing with a mix of snow, sleet and rain overnight into Sunday morning. Lingering showers will taper off Sunday morning.
As the storm rushes into the area, so does warmer air, which will limit snow totals.
As with many storms, the rain/snow line is critical. Warmer air is expected to push inland across South Jersey and Delaware, but as the storm progresses the warm air pushes the rain/snow line into the Pennsylvania suburbs, and possibly parts of the Lehigh Valley.
So, what this means is that some of the snow that falls in the beginning of the storm is going to be washed away by falling rain. In the colder areas where the snow mixes with sleet and possibly rain, it will limit snow totals there, as well.
Temps hover around or a little bit above freezing points north and west of I-95 and in the 40s -- or even up to 50 -- along the Jersey Shore and in Delaware.
For the Jersey Shore, most of South Jersey and Delaware this is mainly a rain event.
However, the northern and western Pennsylvania suburbs could see inches of accumulating snow -- with the greatest likelihood for snow accumulation in the Lehigh Valley, Berks County and Poconos -- especially in higher elevations. People in those colder neighborhoods will likely need to break out the snow shovels and snow blowers.
Those colder areas in Pennsylvania will be under a First Alert from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning as travel conditions could become treacherous.
The storm's trajectory is what we’ll be focusing on over the next several hours as it’s crucial in determining how bad it will be in various neighborhoods.
How much snow - if any any - will stick in your neighborhood?
We got an updated look at estimated snow totals on Friday morning and it's bad news if you're a snow lover.
Points south and east of Philadelphia aren't expected to get much -- if any -- snow, while neighborhoods father north and west could get several inches.
Estimated snow totals
Upper Berks County, upper Lehigh Valley, Poconos - 5 to 8 inches (sleet mixing in could knock down totals)
Northern and western parts of Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties, southern parts of Berks County and Lehigh Valley - 3 to 5 inches
Central parts of Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties and upper Delaware County - 1 to 3 inches
Southernmost and easternmost parts of Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, northern Delaware and and South Jersey suburbs - less than an inch
Note: These estimated snow totals will be updated as new data comes into the First Alert Weather Center.
When was the last time we had significantly measurable snow in Philadelphia?
The storm will exit the area by early Sunday morning, and lingering flurries are possible into Sunday afternoon. Now is the time to plan ahead for the first significant winter storm in two seasons as Philly could break its longest snowless streak on record.
Philadelphia last had measurable snow on Feb. 1, 2023, when a meager 0.3 of an inch fell.
The last times Philly got snow
The last time Philadelphia got more than an inch of snow was more than 700 days ago! On Jan. 29, 2022, 5.8 inches of snow fell in Philadelphia, which helped the total snowfall for that storm at Philadelphia International Airport top out at 7.5 inches. Since then, Philly hasn’t seen more than an inch of snow on any day.
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That same January 2022 storm left nearly 2 feet of snow in parts of New Jersey.
Now is the time to prepare for the storm
Road crews and emergency officials have spent days getting ready for whatever falls from the sky.
With hours still to prepare, you should take steps now. Dig out the snow shovel and ice melt, grab that ice scraper and put it in your car, make sure to clear out gutters (that can even help if it rains) and potentially grab your sled out of the basement.
Here's the full checklist to make sure you're ready for whatever this storm brings:
As for your car, make sure you have your tires inflated and plenty in the trunk, including some extra windshield wiper fluid and kitty litter.
Also, emergency management in the Pennsylvania suburbs suggests drivers be weary of slick roads and have their devices charged up so they won't be left in the dark if stranded or if they lose power.
Flooding concerns
Well snow is often the focus of any winter storm, there is a chance for excessive rainfall from this storm. That could lead to localized flooding -- especially along streams, rivers and along the coast.
The greatest flood threats are from the I-95 corridor into South Jersey and Delaware, where mostly rain is expected.
We have been saturated with a lot of rain recently, which adds to the threat. Add in an expected rainstorm in the middle of next week, and flooding remains a concern.
Going to the Eagles-Giants game in North Jersey?
Don't expect a snow game at MetLife Stadium. Showers should taper off around the 4:25 p.m. kickoff at the Meadowlands, if not before.
Stay ahead of the storm with NBC10
Be sure to have your phone and other devices charged up with the latest version of the NBC10 app downloaded. We will have updated forecast, snow projections and live interactive radar leading up to and during the winter storm online and on air.
