After drenching rain, chance for a snowy holiday weekend in Philly remains up in the air

Sick of rain and ready for snow?

Any chance of flurries in the Philly region was doused this week when around two inches of rain fell amid a warmer coastal storm, the National Weather Service said.

However, another system could move through next week, keeping alive chances of a snowy holiday weekend.

For now, Friday’s wet weather should dry up by midafternoon, said Alex Staarmann, meteorologist with the weather service’s Mount Holly office.

“It was certainly a lot of rain, a pretty big rain event for us,” Staarmann said. “But not particularly unusual.”

Before rainfall began Thursday morning, weather experts noted the pattern had inklings of a nor’easter, the Eastern Seaboard downpours that often bring snow and ice along with them. But temperatures in the mid-40s quickly squashed any potential for a blizzard.

Heading into the weekend, the weather service said the region could anticipate highs in the low 40s on Saturday, with Sunday’s temperature forecast to top out in the upper 30s.

Those rain boots can stay in the closet, however, as Staarmann said to expect dry skies with a slight breeze through Monday.

“It looks fairly cold, not extremely cold,” he added.

With Christmas Day just around the corner, the question remains as to whether Philadelphians can expect a blanket of white lining the ground next Sunday.

It’s too early to tell, according to Staarmann.

Another coastal storm could bring wet weather to the region Wednesday or Thursday, but the temperature will determine whether it results in snow or another drizzly letdown.

“For the Philadelphia region itself, our confidence is increasing that there’s probably going to be some type of system, sometime late next week,” Staarmann said. “But for this region, it could mean 50 and rain, or 25 and snow — and anywhere between.”