Wintry mix, high winds to greet the New Year

The Mummers could face stiff winds on Broad Street as a winter storm races up the coast on New Year's Day.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service expect the winds to hit about 1 p.m. on Friday and pick up speed as the day winds down.

"It may make it a little difficult" for the Mummers, said Jim Eberwine, meteorologist for the NWS in Mount Holly.

The winter storm, in the meantime, is expected to stay off the New Jersey coast and take aim at New England.

A wintry mix of rain and snow is forecast for the region New Year's Eve, "but it won't be enough to restrict celebrations," Eberwine said.

Some light rain or snow will fall throughout the evening into Friday morning but the precipitation and winds are unlikely to threaten two New Year's Eve fireworks shows that are scheduled for 6 p.m. and midnight on the Delaware River waterfront.

Gusts over the weekend, however, could top 50 mph, much like today.

A wind advisory in the meantime remains until 6 tonight throughout the Philadelphia area because of 40- to 50-mile gusts.

High winds are already being blamed for toppling a number of trees and power lines this morning - a situation made all the more possible because the weekend's rains and melting snow have saturated the ground.

With temperatures in the 20s and lower 30s today, the NWS says the wind chill values - how the wind-whipped cold air feel on bare skin - are in the single digits and teens.

The wind speeds are expected to diminish tonight and the mercury will rise into the 30s tomorrow under partly sunny skies.

For more on the forecast, go to http://go.philly.com/weather.