“Upside Down” Snow Storm Hits City

The hit isn't as hard as expected, though areas south still get inundated.

Here’s the weather situation as of 5 am Monday: The schools are shut down. City Hall’s opening late. The snow has arrived–but in Center City, at least, doesn’t  seem to amount to much. Perhaps that’s why SEPTA’s alert page—aside from warning against mild weather-releated delays—is so squeaky clean at this hour.

Then again, we have a few hours to go.

CBS Philly reports:

 Our latest winter storm is underway and this one is different from the others, in that it’s what we’re calling an “upside down” storm. Generally in our area, we see the highest snowfall accumulations in our north and west suburbs due to the higher elevations, but not this time. Today’s heaviest snows will fall from Philadelphia on south as a wave of low pressure rides along a stationary boundary.

 NBC 10 adds:

The storm could drop up to 6 to 10 inches of snow — with the most snow falling in central Delaware and southernmost New Jersey.

The good news, however, is that the snow won’t hit as hard in all areas as originally expected. NBC10 First Alert Weather meteorologist Bill Henley said that a high pressure system of very cold air from the north moved in quicker than expected causing the moisture to dry up faster.

In Philadelphia, southern Chester, Delaware, Southern Montgomery, Burlington, northern Camden and northern Ocean Counties about 3 to 5 inches of snow are expected with 1 to 3 inches to the north and 4 to 7 inches to the direct south.

Just six more inches of snow tie this winter for second-snowiest on record.