St. Patty's week looking very blue, green ... and white

Thus far Friday's snow-globe flakes haven't done much beyond whitening the tree branches and blackening the streets. We actually had an easier time getting to work this morning than usual.

Yet another snow threat is on the horizon for Monday night and Tuesday, but this is not the winter to put too much stock in what computers are spitting out three-plus days out.

A surer thing is that this isn't going to be a good week to be an early-popping blossom.

Based on the forecasts, we are about to enter the coldest St. Patrick's Day week in Philadelphia since 1960.

We are defining that period as the seven-day period starting March 11.

The forecast highs for the next six days would be below normal for the coldest period in January.

Temperatures on Saturday might struggle to reach 30, and if you're going to the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday, wear your green long-johns. The temperature might not get above freezing.

The average temperature for the week, again, based on the forecasts, would be just over 29.

That would rank in the top five for those seven days. Wherever it ranks, it will be quite a contrast to St. Patrick's week last year, which saw highs of 69 and 71.

We're confident that most of our Irish readers have strategies for dealing with the cold.

Here is a list of the 10 coldest March 11-17 period. Measurable snow fell in eight of them, the exceptions being 1895 and 1926.

Source: National Weather Service, Franklin Institute