Pennsylvania – Wind rattles bare branches across the Delaware Valley as sharply cold air presses in, turning sidewalks stiff and metal railings painful to touch. Breath fogs instantly. Even after sunrise, the chill holds firm, setting the tone for a high-impact winter stretch that carries straight into the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, a Cold Weather Advisory remains in effect for much of eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and northeast Maryland through Thursday morning. Wind chills are dropping as low as 8 below zero at times, increasing the risk of frostbite and hypothermia during early travel and outdoor work.
Across southeastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, daytime highs struggle to escape the teens. Any moisture on roads may refreeze quickly after melting, raising the threat of flash freezing. Drivers should expect slick ramps and untreated side streets, especially along I-95 and Route 76 corridors.
Attention is now turning to Friday and the weekend. Meteorologists are tracking a developing system that could bring snow into parts of the Mid-Atlantic as colder air remains in place. Probabilities remain modest, but even light snow or an icy mix near 32 degrees could create outsized travel impacts. Plan extra time if heading out Friday night or Sunday.
Farther north, expanding ice across the Great Lakes is fueling lake-effect snow through Friday, reinforcing the cold pattern. Longer-range outlooks suggest precipitation chances ease next week across the Mid-Atlantic, while much warmer air surges into the Southeast, sharpening temperature contrasts.
Five-Day Outlook for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Today: Increasing clouds, high near 19, dangerous wind chills
Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 5
Thursday: Mostly sunny, high near 19
Friday: Mostly sunny, high near 18
Saturday: Mostly cloudy, high near 19, snow chances increase late
