Philadelphia, Pa. – Strong to severe thunderstorms could roll across eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware Saturday afternoon, bringing damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and dangerous lightning. Residents are urged to prepare for the possibility of downed trees and scattered power outages.
According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, storms are most likely between Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening as a strong cold front moves through. The greatest threats include frequent cloud-to-ground lightning and winds strong enough to snap branches and damage utility lines.
Areas at risk include Philadelphia, Allentown, Trenton, Wilmington, Dover, and Atlantic City. Forecasters say isolated storms could intensify quickly, reducing visibility and creating hazardous travel on I-95, the New Jersey Turnpike, and Route 1. Outdoor events and late-day commutes may be disrupted.
Emergency managers recommend securing loose outdoor items, avoiding unnecessary travel during peak storm times, and ensuring mobile devices are fully charged in case of power loss.
Cooler, drier air will move in Sunday, bringing highs in the low to mid-70s with skies clearing by afternoon.
Five Day Forecast for Philadelphia, Pa.:
- Friday: Sunny, highs in the upper 80s.
- Saturday: Thunderstorms, highs in the mid to upper 80s, severe wind risk.
- Sunday: Mostly cloudy early, clearing late, highs in the low to mid-70s.
- Monday: Partly sunny, highs in the mid-70s.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, highs in the upper 70s.
