What to Expect – NBC10 Philadelphia

The new year begins with a double whammy of wintry weather in the Philadelphia region as we brace for another round of snow on Monday.

On Friday January 3rd we saw light snowfall which made roads slippery during the evening commute and there will be bitter cold over the weekend ahead of Monday’s storm.

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A bitterly cold and windy weekend

On Saturday we will see a blast of cold air with highs around 30°C and wind chills that will make it feel like the 20s.

Sunday will be a little warmer but still cold with temperatures around 30 degrees during the day.

A major snowstorm on Monday, January 6th

The second chance for snow is the one to watch more closely: A potential northeasterly shower develops late Sunday evening and Monday.

This storm system could bring our first significant snowfall of the season, but the exact cause remains uncertain.

The storm is expected to begin between 4 and 5 a.m. Monday and continue through the morning and afternoon before easing around 5 p.m

As of Friday, the models show the following snow totals for Monday:

Philadelphia, surrounding suburbs – 3 to 5 inches

The Lehigh Valley – 1 to 3 inches

Delaware and South Jersey – 5 to 8 inches

These snowfall amounts could change as the storm moves further north. We will continue to update estimated snowfall maps from now through Monday.

Preparing for the storm

Local hardware stores did their best to prepare for the winter storms.

Audubon Hardware in Camden County, New Jersey received 19 pallets of rock salt on Thursday, January 2nd.

“People are starting to come in now. A lot of people are going to wait and see if it actually snows,” Audubon Hardware’s Glenn Hare told NBC10. “It’s going to be crazy.”

On Friday, January 3, an additional 17 pallets of calcium arrived at Audubon Hardware to keep the store stocked.

Meanwhile, Fairmount Hardware in Philadelphia has shovels, ice scrapers and bags of salt in stock and ready to go.

“We definitely have a lot to do. Everyone in the store is excited. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun,” said Andy Siegel of Fairmount Hardware.

Road workers and hardware stores are prepared for the snow, but have you tested your snow blower yet? NBC10 Delaware Bureau Reporter Tim Furlong met with a local small business that was helping customers with repairs and rentals before the snowfall.

Suburban Lawn and Equipment in Stanton, Delaware, said they receive many calls from people seeking last-minute repairs to their snow blowers. Her biggest suggestion is to use a fuel stabilizer and run it once a month year round so it doesn’t die between storms.

“As funny as it may sound, starting your snow blower once a month in the off-season and letting it run for five or 10 minutes will save you time and money,” said Anthony Petruccelli of Suburban Lawn and Equipment.

Motorists are urged to exercise caution

Delaware

DelDOT is preparing to fight to keep the roads safe for motorists and is urging everyone to stay home as late as possible Sunday and into early Monday.

“Unless you have to be out especially Sunday night into the early hours of Monday, please just let our crews work and we will clear the roads and get everyone out as quickly as possible,” DelDOT’s CR McLeod told NBC10.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the state’s Turnpike Commission issued a statement Friday, Jan. 3, urging motorists to avoid unnecessary trips during Monday’s snowstorm.

There will be speed and vehicle restrictions during the storm, officials said. Crews will treat roads ahead of the storm to prevent ice from forming.

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