Light snow falls in Philly; coating reported in some places

Light snow spread across the region Wednesday, leaving a coating to small accumulations well to the north and west of the city, but Philadelphia still awaits its first official measurable snowfall of the season.

“Winter has come,” said Trent Davis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. Well, not exactly with a bang, but some areas on the outer edges of Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties reported drifts up to tenths of inches.

Elverson, Chester County, was the snow jackpot winner with 0.6 inches reported. A half inch was measured in Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, and 0.3 in Furlong, Bucks County.

At 1 p.m., Philadelphia reported its first “trace” of the season, as did Wilmington. By the time it ended in the late afternoon, however, Philadelphia still was looking for its first measurable snow of the winter of 2020-21, defined as at least 0.1 inch.

It wasn’t exactly a milk-and-bread panic situation: In fact, Davis said that the on-duty meteorologists were debating as to whether to call it a “snow shower” or “light snow” or some variant thereof.

They opted for “period of light snow.”

The snow was set off by a weak “clipper” low-pressure system — weak, as in Eagles’ offense weak — crossing the region during the afternoon.

» READ MORE: How much snow for Philly this winter? After a bust year, TV meteorologists take their shots

With that system’s departure, winter is heading back from whence it came. Temperatures on Thursday will approach 50, and head into the 50s on Friday and the weekend.

Winter chill is due to return next week, but no snow is in the forecast.

» READ MORE: Feds’ updated winter forecast favors warmth here and in most of the nation, especially December