Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – An Arctic blast is expected to bring light snow, damaging winds, and dangerously cold wind chills to the Mid-Atlantic this weekend, prompting multiple weather alerts across eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and northern Delaware.
According to the National Weather Service in Philadelphia/Mount Holly, light snow will develop Friday night into early Saturday morning, producing a coating to around 1 inch in most areas. Snowfall totals are expected to range from 0.5 to 1.5 inches, with locally higher amounts possible in parts of northern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania, including areas near I-78, I-287, and I-80.
While snowfall amounts are relatively light, high winds will rapidly become the primary hazard Saturday. Northwest winds are forecast to gust between 40 and 60 mph, especially Saturday afternoon and evening. These winds may lead to downed trees, scattered power outages, and difficult travel for high-profile vehicles along major routes including I-95, I-295, the New Jersey Turnpike, and the Garden State Parkway.
Behind the wind and snow, extreme cold will surge into the region Saturday night into Sunday morning. Wind chill values are forecast to drop between -10 and -25 degrees, with the coldest readings across inland and elevated areas. Coastal and southern locations may see wind chills closer to 0 to -10 degrees, but conditions will remain dangerous.
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Cold Watch for the entire region from Saturday through Sunday morning, along with a High Wind Watch for portions of coastal southern New Jersey and Delmarva.
Officials warn that the combination of high winds and extreme cold significantly increases the risk of hypothermia, frostbite, and prolonged power outages.
This system may strongly affect weekend travelers, commuters, students, outdoor workers, and coastal communities, particularly from Saturday afternoon through early Sunday.
Residents are urged to secure loose outdoor items, prepare for potential power outages, limit outdoor exposure, and closely monitor forecast updates as conditions rapidly worsen this weekend.
