Cold rain follows overnight snow in Philadelphia, affecting flights, road conditions

Snow, then sleet, followed by a cold rain early Saturday turned sidewalks and streets into slush with some slick spots.

Valerie Meola, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., said snow fell predominantly from 3 to 4 a.m. Saturday, then mixed with sleet, then changed to a freezing rain at about 5:30 a.m. About one-tenth to one-third of an inch of snow was reported in the Philadelphia area, she said.

The total possible daytime ice accumulation was expected to be about 0.1 to 0.3 of an inch in the city, the National Weather Service said.

The rain turned into a drizzle in the late afternoon, then eventually ended Saturday. Temperatures were expected to rise into the 40s at night, then into the 50s overnight. 

Meola said Sunday "will be unseasonably warm."

But, it's a rollercoaster for the weekend weather. It could rain again on Sunday. And cold air returns Sunday night and any remaining puddles could refreeze from Sunday night into Monday, Meola said.

SEPTA reported at about 4:15 p.m. that most of its weather-related service issues have been cleared. But it said passengers may experience delays of up to 25 minutes on the West Trenton Regional Rail Line due to switch problems.

Flights at Philadelphia International Airport were affected by the wintry mix.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike temporarily lowered the speed limit to 45 mph on all its highways, including the east-west mainline Turnpike (Interstate 76, I-70/76 and I-276) and the Northeastern Extension (I-476).

Before heading out, motorists can check PA Turnpike conditions at www.paturnpike.com.