‘Complex’ System To Bring Heavy Rain, Snow To Eastern PA

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA — A “complex” system will bring rain and snow to Eastern Pennsylvania starting Wednesday and reforming later in the week for a second round of precipitation.

The system, which is exiting the northern Plains as of Wednesday morning and moving eastward, will bring a chance of heavy precipitation in the form of both rain and snow. The Philadelphia region can expect rain, but some parts of the state will get accumulating snow. “At least” 4 inches of snow could fall by Friday across northeast Pennsylvania and the southern Catskill mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

While up to 2 inches of rain could fall overnight Wednesday in Eastern Pennsylvania, it likely will not be enough to have a significant impact on the drought conditions.

“Instead, a brief period of drenching rain is likely that can slow travel and even lead to some ponding on some roads. Multiple days of soaking rain are needed to reverse the drought and start filling reservoirs,” according to AccuWeather.

There is likely to be a second reformation of the storm in the Northeast by the end of the week, AccuWeather predicts. There is a slight chance that reformation brings snow further south.

“This is a big and complex system, so changes are likely in the hours ahead,” forecasters with NBC10 said in their Wednesday report.

Here is the latest local forecast, according to the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain, mainly after 11 pm. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 43. East wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could like as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. West wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 43. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday night: A chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 53.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.