Snow In April Uncommon In Philly, But Not Unprecedented

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We promise this isn't an April Fools' Day prank. There's snow in the forecast, expected to begin falling in the Delaware Valley in the overnight hours. So how unusual would it be?

It's been over two decades, but Trent Davis, with the National Weather Service out of Mount Holly, New Jersey, says the region has seen snow in April before.

"In both 1996 and in 1990 we saw around 2.5 inches," Davis said.

But you have to go back over a century to find the record.

"In 1915, we had one big storm and got almost 20 inches of snow," Davis said, "so that was the highest snowstorm in April."

But snow this time of year is very uncommon.

"Since the 1800's, 0.6 inches is the mean snowfall in Philadelphia in April," Davis said, "so we don't see a whole lot."

And surely this has to be it for snow until the winter, right?

"I think it's a little too early to rule out snowfall being completely done," Davis admitted, "but I do think this is going to be the last major event, if you want to call it a major event."

Once this system passes though, Davis says it shouldn't be long before spring feels like, well, spring.

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