Temps will be warmer Thursday in Philadelphia region, tracking rain. Here's the weather forecast.
Jackets will be needed Thursday in the Philadelphia area, but temperatures will warm to the mid-upper 40s by the afternoon and low 50s by midnight.
NEXT big weather change: A warmup and heavy rain
We've issued a NEXT Weather Alert for Friday due to heavy rain and ponding that will likely slow down the morning commute.
One inch plus of rain is expected in spots, melting quite a bit of the snow, so we may see areas of local and poor drainage flooding. We do need the rain, however, and rivers and streams should be able to handle the increased water because of the preceding dry conditions.
Timing of the heaviest rain is 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., then possibly a lull before a line of wind-driven downpours and storms rolls through between 9 and 11 a.m.
Rain will depart by afternoon, but temperatures will then plummet as winds pick back up, leading to a colder but dry start to the weekend. In fact, wind chills may be in the low teens and single digits by the evening, a far cry from the near 60-degree start to the day, despite the rain. Winds could gust to 50 mph and a wind advisory is in effect.
Temps will be a bit up and down after tomorrow, a chilly Saturday will yield to a milder Sunday and the weekend looks dry, but we'll be back to highs only in the 30s Monday. That said, conditions look tranquil for travel toward the Christmas holiday with just the off chance of a rain or snow shower by Tuesday of next week.
Here's your 7-day forecast:
Thursday: Mild, rain at night. High 52, low 29.
Friday: NEXT Weather Alert for rain and wind. High 59, low 45.
Saturday: Colder. High 39, low 28.
Sunday: Pleasant. High 52, low 35.
Monday: Colder. High 37, Low 26.
Tuesday: Pleasant. High 44, low 28.
Wednesday: Seasonable. High 48, low 37.