☃️ Snow on Christmas? Usually not in Philly | Morning Newsletter
And the temporary closures for some Philly restaurants
The Morning Newsletter
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It’s a chilly start to our week, with temperatures creeping only into the low 40s. I suppose it feels the way it’s supposed to a day before the start of winter — all we’re missing is snow.
This brings me to today’s top story about snow, and how it so rarely brings a white Christmas to Philly. Also, restaurants across the city are closing temporarily as COVID-19 surges again.
— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
When our reporter Anthony R. Wood nerds out about the weather, we get veritable gems such as his latest chronicling the history of snow on Christmas Day in Philadelphia — and paying homage to Irving Berlin’s timeless classic, “White Christmas.”
A song that has us all hoping for snow on the ground — even though it’s been more than a decade since we’ve had a white Christmas here.
Tony even got odds for us, writing:
“The odds against a white Christmas — defined as an inch of snow on the ground on the morning of Dec. 25, are stacked 12-1 in Philadelphia, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.”
Take this trip with the writer I like to call T-Wood for the history and future of Christmas snow in Philly. And in case you missed it, we dove into 130 years of weather data to show you that Philly winters aren’t what you think.
What you should know today
Episcopal Hospital, Temple’s behavioral health institution, has seen turmoil and tragedy during the pandemic.
Philly’s shipyard managed to avoid the backups that clogged other ports across the country.
Do Democrats or Republicans benefit from new redistricting maps for the Pennsylvania State House? We tested it out.
The PPA says it overpaid $11.3 million to the Philadelphia School District. Now it wants the money back.
There’s a new Pennsylvania law that could ease the burden on schools finding substitute teachers.
Philly’s nationally recognized Eviction Diversion Program will continue through 2022.
And these images of the Santa Express chugging along the West Chester railroad line should get you in the Christmas spirit.
Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
In what’s normally peak holiday season for Philly restaurants, many are closing down temporarily as cases of COVID-19 have spiked, with servers and patrons alike testing positive.
Establishments such as Middle Child Clubhouse, Sally’s, Sancho Pistola’s, and Jose Pistola’s have closed their doors, with others expected to follow as the omicron variant spreads. COVID-19 also sidelined both the Eagles and Sixers games scheduled for yesterday. Our reporter Michael Klein has more on what the latest closures mean for area restaurants.
Also, how to know when it’s time for your booster shot.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
When the Eagles host the Washington Football Team tomorrow night (7 p.m., Fox) it’ll be a rare Tuesday night NFL game. But it’s not the first for the Birds in this millennium. Today’s question: Do you know the year and the team the Eagles faced the last time they hosted a Tuesday night game? This throwback piece has the answer and the result.
Photo of the day
Have a good rest of your Monday, Philly. Until tomorrow... ✌️