Wild winds and some snow squalls hit the Philadelphia region Sunday
Unsettled and cold conditions in the upper atmosphere made for raw and blustery weather.
After a soggy Saturday, conditions in the region barely had time to clear up before wild winds blew in — and along with them, dark clouds and, in many places, even some snow squalls Sunday afternoon.
Snow in March is nothing unusual, of course, even if it’s been pretty scarce this winter overall. But what is remarkable is how warm conditions were — above 40 degrees across the whole region. Not balmy, but still well above freezing.
Mike Silva, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service at Mount Holly, explained that unstable air higher in the atmosphere was much colder than at the surface.
That allowed for patchy snowflakes to form and fall, but all but ensured they’d melt when hitting most surfaces.
But Silva said because today’s weather was convective, meaning that it arose from unpredictable updrafts and downdrafts of air, not everybody saw the white stuff.
“It seemed to be very patchy,” said Silva, who saw uneven patterns of precipitation on radar. “It’s not unlike summertime thunderstorms, actually. Not everybody’s getting it, but if you get it, it can come down good.”
“It’s not the same physics, but it’s the same general idea.”
And though it might feel like a treat (or not), Silva explained that an event like today’s is nothing out of the ordinary.
“Not every winter gets a day like this, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.”
If snow isn’t your thing, though, don’t get too miffed. By midweek, temperatures will be pushing 70.