A couple inches of snow and sand-like sleet are forecast for Philly

Alerts about wintry weather for Friday came to Philadelphians’ phones on Christmas Day. Snow, sleet, and rain are forecast to soon bring a cold mix of precipitation to the streets of the city and surrounding areas.

From his Mount Holly office, National Weather Service meteorologist Ray Martin warned residents of a cold Friday with temperatures dropping from 34 degrees to below freezing when rain begins.

Snow is forecast to move in during the afternoon, bringing sleet before 5 p.m. Intermittent rain should complete the triple threat, adding itself to the mix overnight, with temperatures expected to drop to 30 degrees.

“Because of the sleet and freezing rain aspect, the accumulations will not be especially high, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be hazardous,” Martin said.

One to three inches of snow are expected; most of it, Martin said, will be sleet.

Sleet tends to be more compact than snow, demanding more effort when it comes to shoveling or plowing it off sidewalks, entryways, and garages.

For Martin, this will look like: “a lot of little iceballs, basically frozen raindrops, covering the ground. It will be like shoveling sand.”

With the weather conditions creating slippery roads, the meteorologist warned drivers to operate with caution and try to avoid streets until they are treated. If possible, he recommended waiting to drive until Saturday midmorning, when cloudy temperatures are expected to rise above freezing.

“It’s not going to be fun, and it won’t look as bad as it will actually be,” Martin said.