Philly takes an arctic plunge into freezing temps. Here’s what you need to know

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It seems like the weather is changing faster than raindrops and snowflakes can even hit the ground.

Meteorologists all over the region are saying this is one for the books — not in recent memory has the temperature dropped so significantly within mere hours during the day, not to mention in tandem with nationwide frigid conditions. This Christmas is gearing up to be the coldest since 1989.

There may not be a white Christmas this year, but it will definitely be a gray one, with wind chills creating temps that feel as low as below zero at times.

Friday had the most drastic weather changes. According to the NBC10 First Alert Weather Team, the morning started out in the 50s with rain, but the rain quickly developed into snow around noon, bringing with it a cold front. The arctic blast, however, is where conditions really became brutal, with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph.

By the evening, temps were in the teens. Friday night, cold air swept in and brought harsh winds, making the morning feel like below zero.

The low on Saturday, Christmas Eve, was about 10 degrees and 20 in the afternoon, with the wind blowing throughout. Sunday, Christmas Day, had a low of 15 degrees and a high of 28 in the afternoon, with slightly less wind than Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to slowly inch their way up, but not by much at the beginning of the week. The high Monday is about 30 degrees, but temperatures should rise above freezing by Tuesday.

Four consecutive days of below-freezing temps have not happened in the Philly region since January 2018, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

With some help from a little sunshine, those temperatures should climb into the 50s by Friday.

Although not as cold — upper 50s, low 60s — New Year’s Eve and Day will likely see the next round of wet, rainy weather.

A storm like this doesn’t happen very often, said KYW Newsradio traffic anchor Justin Drabick, who is also a meteorologist.

“I can’t remember the last time I saw a system like this,” he told KYW midday anchor Michelle Durham. “It’s got everything with it: snow, rain, severe weather likely in some spots. And behind it, an arctic blast.”

This is the time drivers will want an emergency kit handy. AAA Mid-Atlantic recommends they keep a shovel, ice melt, a blanket, water and some nutrition bars in their cars, just in case.

If drivers still have to hit the road this weekend, go with caution. Potential flash freezes may have iced some streets, which may be untreated.

“You don’t want to get caught in those situations because it’s going to be windy too,” Drabick added. “And if you’re traveling to the Northeast, into the Midwest, by car or by air, you’re gonna get some delays and you don’t want to be stuck out there.”

Spokesperson Jana Tidwell said AAA is anticipating more calls from customers about dead car batteries and flat tires starting now through next week.

“When we when see temperatures drop below freezing, that kills car batteries. So if your battery is more than 3 years old, more than 5 years old, chances are it’s not operating at maximum capacity,” she explained. “It may survive this cold snap; it may not survive the next one this winter. So AAA definitely recommends that you have your battery checked ahead of the winter weather driving season just for that peace of mind.”

Tidwell recommends adding some vehicle-specific items to your car kit, too: jumper cables, a flashlight with fresh batteries, reflectors or flares, and a first aid kit.

“If you or anyone you’re traveling with — whether it’s an infant, toddler, a senior anyone who’s taking medication on a special diet, anything like that — make sure that you have a day or two’s worth of medication doses and any special foods, needs, diapers, those kinds of things that you might need,” she advised.

As the weather develops, schools may change their schedules. Check KYW Newsradio’s school closings page here.

NBC10 is a broadcast partner of KYW Newsradio.