Snow expected in Philly area this weekend

Philadelphia-area residents can expect another chilly day Friday, followed by snow, wintry mix and rain over the weekend.

The National Weather Service said the snow should fall overnight Friday into Saturday. Forecast maps Friday morning showed an inch or two expected in Philadelphia and its immediate suburbs, with up to six inches possible in the Poconos.

A winter weather advisory is in place from 10 p.m. Friday to 11 a.m. Saturday due to the potential for snow, sleet and freezing rain.

Forecasters say the precipitation will shift to sleet and freezing rain Saturday morning before changing over to rain entirely. That changeover is forecasted to happen by mid-morning in the Philadelphia area.

"It is expected to begin as snow everywhere," a weather service forecast advisory said. "However, by daybreak on Saturday we are expecting to see the snow mix with and change to sleet and freezing rain" in parts of South Jersey, with the shift happening a bit later further north.

The Philadelphia Streets Department said crews would be dispatched in advance of the snow to salt primary and secondary roadways.

American Airlines, the dominant carrier at Philadelphia International Airport, is allowing travelers flying to and from Philadelphia and other cities expected to be affected by the inclement weather to change their flights without paying a fee. People with trips through Philadelphia Saturday and Sunday are eligible to change their flights.

Though the weekend will be relatively warm — Saturday's high is expected to be in the mid 40s, and the temperature could reach around 60 Sunday — periods of rain showers are expected throughout the weekend.

But first, the region will have to contend with a cold Friday.

The high temperature Friday is expected to only reach the high 20s. Morning temperatures were in the teens across the region.

After the relatively warm but wet weekend, temperatures are forecasted to drop again early next week, with highs in the mid 30s expected. A Code Blue is in place in Philadelphia through Wednesday morning.