American ski champ Lindsey Vonn was airlifted off Olympia delle Tofane and was in stable condition following surgery on a broken leg Sunday after crashing during the women’s Alpine skiing event at the Winter Olympics.
Vonn, skiing with a torn ACL she ruptured last month, lost control near the start of the race and crashed after clipping a flag on the course. She was heard screaming after the crash as she was surrounded by medical personnel before she was strapped to a gurney and flown away by helicopter, possibly ending the skier’s storied career.
The race was paused for nearly half an hour, with a stunned crowd watching.
“Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians,” the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team said in a statement Sunday afternoon.
“That definitely was the last thing we wanted to see,” Vonn’s sister, Karin Kildow, said during NBC’s broadcast. “It happened quick. When that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s OK. It was scary, because when you start seeing the stretchers being put out, it’s not a good sign.”
“She does have all of her surgeons and her [physical therapy] staff here and her doctors,” Kildow added.
All downhill skiers were required to have smart safety air bags in their racing suits, triggered by motion sensors and GPS data in the event of a crash. Vonn’s air bag inflated during her crash, which may have softened her fall, supplier Dainese told the Associated Press.
Lindsey Vonn the moment she crashed into a gate during an Alpine skiing downhill race at the Olympics.
The 41-year-old underwent a partial knee replacement in April 2024, which rekindled hope of an Olympic return after retiring in 2019. She suffered another setback last month when she ruptured her ACL skiing at the Alpine Ski World Cup in Switzerland.
Fellow Team USA skier Breezy Johnson won gold in the event, her first Olympic medal. But speaking after the national anthem, Johnson’s thoughts were on her teammate.
“It’s devastating,” Johnson said. “It’s not the physical pain — we can deal with physical pain — but the emotional pain is something else. I wish her the best and I hope that this isn’t the end.”
She has some experience in what happened to Vonn. Johnson crashed at Cortina d’Ampezzo and injured her knee, which forced her to miss the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Andorra’s Cande Moreno and Austria’s Nina Ortlieb both also crashed during their runs Sunday. Ortlieb was able to stand up and walk off the course, while Moreno needed to be airlifted.
Joel Embiid with teammates Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.
One factor complicating any deal at the trade deadline was Daryl Morey and the front office considered the team’s core – Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and rookie VJ Edgecombe – “as close to untouchable players as you might have in this league.”
“We really think it’s a very good core,” Morey told reporters Friday. “Obviously we need to prove that on the court, and I think we think lately we have been proving it to a higher level.”
Morey said at the trade deadline, the Sixers were focused on finding a player who could fill in for Paul, who is serving a 25-day suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. But Morey didn’t see any available players that could contribute more than Dominick Barlow has during Paul’s absence.
Sixers were willing to go into the luxury tax, Morey says
The Sixers moved under the luxury tax by trading away Jared McCain and Eric Gordon, but Daryl Morey said that wasn’t the primary reason behind the moves.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Morey said the team would’ve been willing to go above the luxury tax threshold – “We’ve done it several times” – but didn’t see a deal or player that justified the numbers.
“For sure, if we had found a trade and were going to end up higher, we’d have ended up above it,” Morey said.
Despite that, Morey said he understands the perception among fans and even Joel Embiid the team just wanted to save money.
“I hope to defeat it by finding a deal that I can go to ownership and say, ‘We think this move is the right move to do for that and create the apron issues that it would create,’” Morey said. “But I haven’t been able to recommend that move yet.”
Morey defends trading Jared McCain without another deal in place
Daryl Morey was pressed on why the Sixers traded Jared McCain without having another deal in place, rather than waiting until the offseason.
“I am quite confident we were selling high,” Morey told reporters Friday. “Obviously, time will tell.”
Morey said the Sixers weren’t considering trading away McCain until teams approached with “aggressive offers,” and that the draft picks will help the team down the road.
“We thought this return was above the future value for our franchise,” Morey said. “The only higher point would have been during his run last season. But otherwise, we feel like we did time this well.”
“The bottom line is Jared’s a great future bet, and we wish him luck,” Morey added. “We feel like this return sets us up better in the future.”
Sixers tried to improve the roster but ‘nothing materialized,’ Morey says
Speaking to reporters Friday, Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, said he understands why fans might be disappointed the team didn’t add any players at the trade deadline.
“I understand the reaction of the fans, but I feel like that comes from folks being excited about this team,” Morey said. “That’s why we had this reaction. And they should be excited.”
Morey said the front office tried to make additions to improve the team using some of the draft picks landed in the Jared McCain trade, but “nothing materialized.”
“I do want folks to know that this team, we think, can make a deep playoff run, as one of the top teams in the East,” Morey said.
Timberwolves re-signing Mike Conley Jr. after trading him: ESPN
Free agent guard Mike Conley Jr. plans to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN. The sides are working on timing of him re-signing. Conley was traded twice this week – to Chicago, then to Charlotte – before being released and allowed to rejoin the Wolves. pic.twitter.com/ht6HVIIqm4
Joel Embiid defends the rim against Deandre Ayton during the Sixers’ loss to the Lakers Thursday.
With three games left before the All-Star break, the Sixers are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, solidly in the playoff picture after missing the postseason last season.
Thursday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers certainly didn’t help, breaking a five-game winning streak. They’ll face the second-place New York Knicks on Wednesday, who added former New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado to their roster at the NBA trade deadline.
Eastern Conference standings
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
Upcoming Sixers schedule
Sixers at Suns: Saturday, 9 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 97.5 The Fanatic)
Sixers at Trailblazers: Monday, 10 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 97.5 The Fanatic)
Knicks at Sixers: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN, 97.5 The Fanatic)
Daryl Morey will speak to reporters Friday following the NBA trade deadline.
Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, will speak to reporters Friday afternoon after the team made no additions at the NBA trade deadline, not even to fill in during Paul George’s 25-game suspension.
Morey is scheduled to speak at noon at the Sixers’ training facility in Camden, N.J.
On Thursday, the Sixers traded Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies in a salary dump. Wednesday they parted ways with Jared McCain, the 2024 No. 16 overall pick. In exchange, team landed a bunch of second-round picks and the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick.
They did manage to dodge the luxury tax by shedding McCain and Gordon’s salaries.
Joel Embiid carefully comments on Sixers trade deadline moves
Joel Embiid during Thursday night’s loss to the Lakers.
LOS ANGELES — When asked to assess the 76ers’ approach and execution at the trade deadline, Joel Embiid kept his words politically correct.
But his multiple pauses to look to his right at a team public relations staffer observing his postgame media session — not out of nervousness, but as if this was the way he could make his desired point — spoke volumes.
“The only thing I’ll say, I believe in myself,” Embiid said late Thursday, after the Sixers dealt guards Jared McCain and Eric Gordon and did not add any players. “I believe in Tyrese [Maxey]. I believe in everybody in this locker room. But the main thing is I believe in myself.
“So no matter what, we’re going to go out there and compete and still try to win it.”
Those comments came exactly one week after Embiid said publicly that he hoped the Sixers (29-22) would not make moves purely to duck the luxury tax and would instead try to bolster a roster that, after Thursday’s 119-115 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers, sat in sixth place in a crowded Eastern Conference.
“Hopefully, we keep the same team,” Embiid said then. “ … We’ve got a good group of guys in this locker room and the vibes are great. … Hopefully, we think about improving, because we have a chance.”
When those previous comments were referenced to Embiid following Thursday’s game, the standout center coyly quipped, “I don’t remember what I said.”
Sixers fans will have to wait and see after a uninspiring trade deadline.
The shaping of the 76ers took a step backward this week … perhaps just momentarily.
The team moved on from Jared McCain, a fan favorite and 2025 Rookie of the Year front-runner, and seldom-used veteran guard Eric Gordon before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. In return, the Sixers acquired a first-round pick, three second-rounders, and a second-round pick swap.
Shedding those players’ salaries gives the Sixers just over $7.6 million in cap space under the first apron. That means they can sign players on the buyout market in addition to using up to $8 million in a trade exception to acquire a player.
After the deadline, the Sixers signed forward Patrick Baldwin to a 10-day contract and center Charles Bassey to his second 10-day stint, giving the Sixers 14 standard contracts. And 48 minutes before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced it converted starting power forward Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract to a standard deal.
That enabled Barlow remain active for the remainder of the season.
But for now, they’re not in a good situation.
The buyout market could be key for the Sixers if they don’t sign Baldwin and Bassey for the remainder of the season.
Since then, the Sixers traded away players who were well-liked in the locker room for what on the surface appear to be moves to help them get below the luxury tax threshold.
But it’s still too early to fully judge the moves that were made.
McCain was exceptional in his rookie season before suffering a season-ending knee injury in December 2024. But he struggled with consistency this season, leaving him out of the rotation. Gordon played in only six games, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets.
So these moves were made on the margins and will only be crystalized once we see how they affect the roster this season and what they do with their draft picks in the future.
But in the interim, the Sixers got a little worse over two days while several contenders in the East improved.
Jared McCain, the Sixers’ 2024 first-round pick, was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
Sixers president Daryl Morey is scheduled to meet with the media on Friday, so we’ll have to wait to hear the official defense of the team’s decision to trade 2024 first-round pick Jared McCain to the Thunder for what is most likely to be a low-value first round draft (plus the obligatory smattering of second round picks). We don’t have to wait to judge the optics of the thing.
The optics are poor, and will remain true even if the thing ends up making more sense than we can immediately glean.
The Sixers didn’t trade McCain for a player who is more likely to help them contend for championship, be it this year or beyond. They didn’t trade him for a pick that they then flipped for a player who can help them capitalize on their momentum this season. Everywhere else, teams got better, and many of them did so in ways beyond this season. The Timberwolves can re-sign Ayo Dosunmu. The Pacers can pair Ivica Zubac with Tyrese Haliburton next season. The Sixers can hope that a late first round pick is worth something in June.
A good way to judge the optics of a move is to attempt to write an executive summary of it in as favorable a way as possible. That’s an extraordinarily difficult task, in this case.
The Sixers just traded away a guy who they drafted at No. 16 barely a year-and-a-half ago and who would probably be drafted higher in a redo. In exchange, they received a pick that currently projects as the No. 24 pick in the 2026 draft, three picks later than where the Sixers grabbed Tyrese Maxey six years ago. It is a range of the draft that rarely yields starters, let alone stars. It is a range where the odds say you are more likely to draft a player who never cracks a first-division rotation than one who becomes a meaningful starter.
Just look at the track record. Of the 42 players drafted with the last seven picks of the first round since 2020, only 17 have started more than 17 NBA games. Just eyeballing it, you’d be hard-pressed to identify 10 of those 42 who’ve turned out to be better than the median potential outcome of even this year’s version of McCain. Jaden McDaniels and Desmond Bane are stars. They are followed by Payton Pritchard, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes and Santi Aldama. Beyond that: Peyton Watson and Cam Thomas, and then Bones Hyland, Day’Ron Sharpe, Nikola Jovic and Kyshawn George. You get the picture.
Trading McCain is a big risk, especially since the Sixers didn’t make any other significant moves, according to columnist David Murphy.
After drawing all the attention, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains with the Milwaukee Bucks, who will consider trading him in the offseason.
Next up on the calendar is the NBA All-Star game, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15. Tyrese Maxey will be a starter.
// Pinned
// Timestamp 02/05/26 3:01pm
Trade deadline passes with Sixers making two minor moves
Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey didn’t get any help at the trade deadline.
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone without the Sixers making any additions to their roster, not even to fill in during Paul George’s 25-game suspension.
Earlier Thursday, the Sixers traded Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies in a salary dump. Wednesday they parted ways with Jared McCain, the 2024 No. 16 overall pick, for draft picks.
The Sixers did create some roster spots that could be used to sign Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contracts. They could also still sign a player waived by another team, and are now $5.3 below the luxury tax.
The Brooklyn Nets are waiving Cam Thomas, allowing the scoring guard to enter free agency, sources tell ESPN. The Nets made the decision to allow Thomas to find a new home. pic.twitter.com/sK75uB6ZV1
Sixers sign Charles Bassey to another 10-day contract
Charles Bassey will remain with the Sixers, at least for another 10 days
The 76ers signed Charles Bassey to a second 10-day contract.
The 6-foot-11 center was not active for any games with the team during the initial 10-day deal that he signed on Jan. 26. However, he excelled for their NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
This extends Bassey’s second stint with the Sixers.
The team initially selected him with the 53rd pick in the 2021 draft out of Western Kentucky. He appeared in 23 NBA games as a rookie, averaging 3.0 points on 63.8% shooting along with 2.7 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, and 7.3 minutes.
Bassey became expendable when the Sixers added reserve center Montrezl Harrell to the roster in September 2022. The Nigerian player was waived on Oct. 13, 2022.
Tyrese Maxey thought Jared McCain trade was a joke
Tyrese Maxey with Jared McCain, who was traded Wednesday to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
LOS ANGELES – While on the team bus as the 76ers traveled from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Jared McCain approached the group to share that he had been traded.
“It was just like, ‘All right, whatever. He’s just joking,’” All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey recalled. “Calls start coming in, and then you realize it’s real.”
McCain had been sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick and additional draft compensation. The “part of the business” cliche has been uttered by players and coaches throughout the league leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline. But this particular deal was emotional for Maxey, who called McCain a “little brother” as part of his first rookie-veteran NBA relationship.
“I’m happy for him,” Maxey said from the Sixers’ shootaround at Crypto.com Arena ahead of Thursday’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers. “Hopefully he gets an even better opportunity over there to succeed. He’s got a fan in me for life, a brother in me for life.”
McCain quickly endeared himself to the Sixers fan base because of his impact play and colorful personality, before knee and thumb surgeries led to struggles in his second season. Maxey experienced those qualities day-to-day, saying McCain “just cared” about people and his craft.
“Anybody that worked that hard for me is going to be somebody that I probably gravitate to,” Maxey said. “He was a good person, as well. He treated everybody with respect. A lot of people in this organization were sad to see him go.”
The emotions hit Maxey again this morning, when he woke up and realized “Man, I’m not going to see ‘JMac’ downstairs.”
“It’s just unexpected,” Maxey said. “That’s really all I got to say. You just never know.”
Then Maxey headed to shootaround, which began about two hours before the deadline. Veteran guard Eric Gordon was present, before reportedly being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. So was veteran center Andre Drummond, who is viewed as another potential contender to be moved by the deadline.
Eric Gordon is heading to Memphis in a salary dump by the Sixers.
As expected, the 76ers parted ways with Eric Gordon.
Sources confirm the Sixers traded the reserve shooting guard on Wednesday to the Memphis Grizzlies for a 2032 second-round pick swap. This move gives the Sixers various options.
It opens up a roster spot to convert Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract into a standard deal. It also gives them a little over $7.6 million in salary cap space under the first apron. And they can sign players on the buyout market in addition to using up to $8 million in trade exception to acquire a player.
Gordon only played in six games, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets.
The 37-year-old, in his 18th season, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract on July 1 after declining his $3.47 million player option. Gordon’s deal created a $2.3 million cap and a $2.3 million dead cap value, which was considered a good, low-risk expiring salary for potential trades.
The thought was the Sixers could entice a team with a lot of cap space, with a second-round pick, just to take on Gordon’s contract for the remainder of the season. It turns out they found a trade partner in the Grizzlies.
The Denver Nuggets are trading Hunter Tyson and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for the lesser favorable of a Clippers/Hawks 2026 second, sources tell ESPN. Denver creates an open roster spot for the buyout market and gets out of the luxury tax.
Eric Gordon, seen during warm ups before a game against the Knicks last month.
The Sixers are in talk to move veteran guard Eric Gordon before the trade deadline, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones.
The Philadelphia 76ers are working to find a landing spot for veteran guard Eric Gordon, according to League Sources. Multiple teams are involved in that discussion
Gordon, on the tail end of a successful career, has played in only six games in his second season as a Sixer. Trading the 37-year-old and his $3.6 million contract in a salary-dump move would open up an additional roster spot that could be used to sign Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract.
The Sixers already created one spot when they traded Jared McCain to the Orlando Thunder Wednesday.
Bucks won’t trade Giannis Antetokounmpo before deadline: ESPN
Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be part of any blockbuster trade ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
So much for that.
The Milwaukee Bucks have told teams they won’t be trading two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of Thursday’s deadline, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
"They were never serious," said one team executive who was discussing a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN.
The Bucks are currently in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, 9 games below .500 and completely out of the playoff picture. Hopes for a second-half turnaround seem fleeting under Doc Rivers, who’s barely been a .500 coach (85-82) in his two-and-a-half seasons with the Bucks.
If the Bucks try to move him in the offseason, Antetokounmpo will have more leverage over his destination, since he could opt for free agency following the 2026-27 season.
Lakers find a sharpshooter on the wings for Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James while the Hawks land a veteran guard, create a $11 million trade exception and pick up an asset. https://t.co/GIY8HNo0Zp
Minnesota traded Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and four second-round picks to Chicago for Dosunmu and Julian Phillips, sources said. https://t.co/bVhLA9Sb3f
Giannis trade not looking likely before the deadline, says ESPN’s Brian Windhorst
Giannis Antetokounmpo dribbles against Adem Bona during a game against the Sixers last season.
All eyes remain fixed on the Milwaukee Bucks as the contemplate trading two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The teams most often mentioned in trade talks have been the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat, and one distant report about Antetokounmpo being intrigued about playing for the Sixers.
But according to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, it looks more likely Antetokounmpo will remain with the Bucks past the deadline, pegging the chances around 60% a trade won’t happen.
“Minnesota is still out there, but I’ll be honest with you: I don’t think Minnesota’s offer was as good as Golden State’s,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s Get Up Thursday morning. “And if Golden State’s offer wasn’t good enough and Minnesota can’t make a trade to improve their offer, I don’t think Minnesota’s realistic.”
“Miami is making a player and semi-draft pick offer – it’s a decent offer but I don’t think it’s something that [Milwaukee] would stop everything for Giannis,” Windhorst added.
Looking back at previous Sixers’ trade deadline deals under Daryl Morey
Sixers team President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.
LOS ANGELES — Nick Nurse briefly chatted with Daryl Morey Tuesday about the looming trade deadline.
At that point, the 76ers coach and president of basketball operations had not had a conversation in a couple days. Nurse added he had not yet had “any discussions” with players about potential moves or speculation.
“I mostly let him do his thing,” Nurse said of Morey and the front office. “They’re obviously working long hours.”
Another phone call was certainly worthy by Wednesday afternoon, when the Sixers got into the deadline mix by trading second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 first-round draft pick and additional draft compensation. It is unclear if that is a precursor for another deal before 3 p.m. Thursday, or a way to get under the luxury tax threshold while also acquiring assets.
Either way, the typically aggressive Morey has already fulfilled the expectation that he will always do something this time of year. He is entering his sixth trade deadline with the Sixers, where his moves have ranged from pulling off a blockbuster to executing a straight salary dump.
Here is a look back at each deadline move for the Sixers since Morey joined the organization in 2020:
Andre Drummond is the Sixers’ best rebounder and has 12 double-doubles this season.
Could we see another alteration to the 76ers‘ roster before they face the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. Thursday at Crypto.com Arena?
There was always a belief that the Sixers would shed some salary before the 3 p.m. Thursday trade deadline to get below the luxury tax threshold. They also needed to free up a roster spot to sign two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to standard deals.
And the squad might have accomplished both by trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders. One of the second-rounders is the 2027 most favorable pick from Oklahoma City, Houston, the Indiana Pacers, and Miami Heat. The others are the 2028 Milwaukee Bucks and 2028 Thunder picks.
The Sixers are now $3 million below the luxury tax threshold after trading away McCain’s $4.2 million salary for draft assets.
But is there another deal to be made? There’s a sense that this roster, as it’s currently constructed, has a chance to position itself for an Eastern Conference title.
Multiple sources insist that the Sixers are still willing to trade reserve center Andre Drummond.
But while McCain battled inconsistent play during his return from last season’s knee surgery, Drummond is the team’s best rebounder and has 12 double-doubles this season.
Parting ways with Drummond would be a blow to the Sixers’ depth. With Joel Embiid resting on the second night of a back-to-back, Drummond started his 18th game of the season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder had 12 points, 12 rebounds, one steal, and a block in the 113-94 victory.
If there’s a Giannis trade, maybe the Sixers could land someone like ex-Villanova star Donte DiVincenzo.
As of Wednesday night, there were no indications the Sixers were gearing up to make a legitimate run at acquiring Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was previously reported to be intrigued by the possibility of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers. Such a move would almost certainly require the Sixers to part with rookie star V.J. Edgecombe. That’s a move they almost certainly will not do.
But the Sixers could easily end up involved on the periphery of the Giannis talks.
If Minnesota is determined/desperate to add Giannis, then it would presumably need to be desperate/determined to acquire the first-round picks that the Bucks would require (the Timberwolves don’t have much in the way of draft capital to trade). Minnesota’s determination/desperation creates some intriguing possibilities for a third team that does have first-round picks it can trade.
The dream scenario would be someone like young sweet-shooting big man Naz Reid becoming available. A more realistic opportunity could come in the form of former Villanova-turned-Knicks-turned-Timberwolves grinder Donte DiVincenzo.
I’m throwing those names out there mostly as for-instances. The world remains Daryl Morey’s oyster until the clock strikes 3 p.m. EST on Thursday.
Kristaps Porzingis traded to the Warriors; ex-Sixer Buddy Hield headed to the Hawks
Kristaps Porzingis
The Golden State Warriors found their dependable big man by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from Atlanta and granted forward Jonathan Kuminga his wish to be traded while also dealing guard Buddy Hield to the Hawks, according to a person with knowledge of the swap.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the trade had not yet been approved by the league.
Kuminga sat out Tuesday night’s 113-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers because of a bone bruise in his left knee, his fifth straight missed game.
The Hawks had listed Porzingis — who has recently missed time with an Achilles tendon injury — as questionable for Thursday’s game against Utah because of an illness. Atlanta also acquired center Jock Landale from the Jazz, a person with knowledge of the trade told the AP.
In mid-January, Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke with Kuminga about being out of the rotation for more than a month and the expectation that he would be traded. However, general manager Mike Dunleavy said on Jan. 20 after Jimmy Butler’s season-ending knee injury that there wasn’t an immediate indication other teams were interested in Kuminga.
“As far as the demand, I’m aware of that,” Dunleavy said, referencing Kuminga’s trade request. “I think when you, in terms of demands, when you make a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market. So we’ll see where that unfolds.”
Kerr discounted any issues between him and Kuminga as the reason the high-flying forward requested a trade after not being used in 17 of 18 games — though he has been listed as injured for nine games this season.
— Associated Press
// Timestamp 02/05/26 7:35am
Trading Jared McCain is a big risk, unless something bigger is in play
Patience will be needed to determine whether the Sixers were smart to jettison their 2024 first-round pick, guard Jared McCain.
Curious.
Suggestive.
Dangerous.
Most of all, unfortunate.
Those are the only sorts of words you can use right now when evaluating the Sixers’ decision to trade Jared McCain to the Thunder on Wednesday afternoon in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and some ancillary draft capital.
To judge the move in more definitive terms would be irresponsible given the amount of time that still remains between now and Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The final verdict depends on what happens next.
If nothing happens next, then, yeah, the Sixers’ decision to jettison their promising 2024 first-round pick will rank somewhere on a spectrum between “underwhelming” and “foolish.” If their primary motivation was to duck below the luxury tax yet again, it will be a level beyond foolish. It will be criminal.
That being said, there are a lot of other ifs in play, many of them more plausible than Daryl Morey viewing a legitimate asset as a cost-savings vehicle.
The NBA trade deadline is today. The Sixers have a mixed track record.
The NBA trade decline is Thursday at 3 p.m.
This year’s NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m., the annual cutoff for trades during the season.
It’s generally a busy day in the league. Last year, 45 players changed teams on deadline day, including big names like Luka Dončić, Jimmy Butler, and De’Aaron Fox.
The Sixers have also been active in recent years, with varying degrees of success since Daryl Morey was named the team’s president of basketball operations at the start of the 2020-21 season.
Last season, they acquired Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler, both of whom remain on the roster. In 2024 they landed Buddy Hield, only to later trade him to the Golden State Warriors.
In 2023 the Sixers traded Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trailblazers. In 2022, they dealt Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal that brought James Harden to Philly, who was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
On Jeopardy!, contestants give their answers in the form of a question. Scott Riccardi’s should’ve been, “How do you pronounce Schuylkill?”
During Tuesday’s episode, the New Jersey native and his two competitors were given a U.S. geography clue close to home: “Pottsville & Reading both lie on this river that enters the Delaware at Philadelphia.”
Riccardi answered the clue correctly, but only after host Ken Jennings paused to determine if his pronunciation — “Skol-kull” — was close enough to award him $1,600.
As least he got the correct river. TJ Fisher, a marketing specialist from San Francisco, guessed “Lackawanna,” nailing the pronunciation but missing the answer by more than 100 miles.
Paolo Pasco, a puzzle writer originally from San Diego, Calif., didn’t buzz in.
For the record, it’s pronounced “Skoo-kl.” One 15th century mapmaker just cut to the chase and labeled it the “Scool Kill River,” which would’ve been much easier to say and spell.
Jeopardy! is in the finals of its annual Tournament of Champions, which featured the show’s most recent top contestants. Pasco won Monday and Tuesday, and needs just one more victory to win the tournament and collect its $250,000 prize.
To judge the move in more definitive terms would be irresponsible given the amount of time that still remains between now and Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The final verdict depends on what happens next. If nothing happens next, then, yeah, the Sixers’ decision to jettison their promising 2024 first-round pick will rank somewhere on a spectrum between “underwhelming” and “foolish.” If their primary motivation was to duck below the luxury tax yet again, it will be a level beyond foolish. It will be criminal.
That being said, there are a lot of other ifs in play, many of them more plausible than Daryl Morey viewing a legitimate asset as a cost-savings vehicle. The NBA’s in-season hot stove is sizzling right now. The Mavericks traded All-Star center Anthony Davis to the Wizards, thereby finalizing their aggregate return for Luka Doncic at a grand total of three first-round picks, each of which is more likely to be closer to No. 30 than to No. 1. Trade rumors continue to circulate around Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, with suitors like the Timberwolves and Heat jockeying to present Milwaukee with an offer that will convince it to strike a deal now rather than wait for the offseason. There are a lot of dominoes left to fall, and the Sixers could easily end up toppling one — or being one.
As of Wednesday night, there were no indications that the Sixers were gearing up to make a legitimate run at acquiring Giannis, who was previously reported to be intrigued by the possibility of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers. Such a move would almost certainly require the Sixers to part with rookie star V.J. Edgecombe. That’s a move they almost certainly will not do.
But the Sixers could easily end up involved on the periphery of the Giannis talks. If Minnesota is determined/desperate to add Giannis, then it would presumably need to be desperate/determined to acquire the first-round picks that the Bucks would require (the Timberwolves don’t have much in the way of draft capital to trade). Minnesota’s determination/desperation creates some intriguing possibilities for a third team that does have first-round picks it can trade. The dream scenario would be someone like young sweet-shooting big man Naz Reid becoming available. A more realistic opportunity could come in the form of former Villanova-turned-Knicks-turned-Timberwolves grinder Donte DiVincenzo.
I’m throwing those names out there mostly as for-instances. The world remains Morey’s oyster until the clock strikes 3 p.m. EST on Thursday.
After less than two seasons with the Sixers, Jared McCain is saying goodbye to the City of Brotherly Love — and fans are saying goodbye to McCain, who was a favorite for rookie of the year last season before suffering a knee injury.
“Mom how good was Jared McCain during his rookie year before getting injured” pic.twitter.com/wYt7f4BsZR
But it wasn’t just his presence on the court that Sixers fans were falling in love with. McCain also made a name for himself on social media, boasting 4.9 million followers on TikTok and 1.9 million followers on Instagram.
So it’s no surprise that Philly fans took to social media to express their condolences about the trade. That’s right, condolences. Sixers fans are mourning the trade and reluctantly saying farewell to McCain in the process.
The fact that Sam Presti wants Jared McCain is a reason not to trade Jared McCain https://t.co/A8EAX9YyTL
I would guess that this is setting up another move, though. If part of the calculus here was ducking the tax, that’s outrageous https://t.co/ta3KRTdUZn
Bulls trading Coby White, Mike Conley Jr. to the Hornets: ESPN
Just in: The Chicago Bulls are trading Coby White and Mike Conley Jr. to the Charlotte Hornets for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/NnHXT5b8lR
Sixers trading Jared McCain to the Thunder for draft picks
The Sixers are trading Jared McCain to the Thunder.
Jared McCain’s tenure with the 76ers is over.
A source confirmed the team is trading the second-year guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-round selections. One of the second-rounders is the 2027 most favorable pick from the Oklahoma City, Houston, Indiana Pacers, and the Miami Heat. The other second-rounders are the 2028 Milwaukee Bucks and 2028 Thunder picks.
McCain averaged 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 37.8% on three-pointers in 37 games this season. Moving the 21-year-old also enabled the Sixers to free up an additional roster spot and get below the luxury tax threshold.
The Sixers are just $1.2 million above the tax threshold after receiving $5.8 million in tax-variance credit due to Paul George’s 25-game unpaid suspension for violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program. Now, they’re $3 million below after getting rid of McCain’s $4.2 million salary.
McCain had his rookie season cut short because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. And on top of that December 2024 injury, he had the start of this season delayed after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb in September.
The 16th pick of the 2024 draft averaged 10.0 points while making 38.1% on his three-pointers in 60 career games with the Sixers.
BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/sfrQQubI5i
An NBA trade deadline week stunner. Clearly, the Wizards have completed their deconstruction phase and are now moving toward Young and Davis leading a rising young core. Washington has turned its previous Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma trades into Young, Davis and five pick swaps.
Can Sixers counter moves by other Eastern Conference teams?
The Sixers could use immediate help due to Paul George’s suspension.
The Eastern Conference remains tightly packed, with three games separating the second-place New York Knicks and sixth-place 76ers entering Wednesday.
Eastern Conference standings
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
And some of the teams above the Sixers have already begun bolstering their roster, with more than 24 hours remaining before Thursday’s deadline.
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for former Sixer James Harden, sending All-Star Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Boston Celtics shored up their center spot by acquiring Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Anfernee Simons. And the Detroit Pistons, who remain comfortably at the top of the conference, added sharpshooter Kevin Huerter in exchange for Jaden Ivey.
How could the Sixers counter? Their roster is tricky with three players on max contracts, including the suspended Paul George. His absence means the Sixers could use immediate help at the wing or in the frontcourt.
The Bucks are currently in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, 10 games below .500 and completely out of the playoff picture. Hopes for a second-half turnaround seem fleeting under Doc Rivers, who’s barely been a .500 coach (84-82) in his two-and-a-half seasons with the Bucks.
“I want to be here, but I want to be here to win, not fighting for my life to make the playoffs,” Antetokounmpo said.
James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, when they were Sixers teammates in 2023.
SAN FRANCISCO – Tyrese Maxey did not need to join the speculation about James Harden being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Maxey could just call his former teammate.
“I talked to him [Monday] a bit about it,” Maxey said following the 76ers’ win at the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night. “Hey, look, if he’s happy, I’m happy. That’s all that matters.”
When Harden missed his second consecutive game for personal reasons on Monday against the Sixers, reports of a deal percolating between the Clippers and Cavaliers surfaced during the matchup. The trade, which also sends Darius Garland to Los Angeles, became official Tuesday as part of a flurry of moves about 48 hours before the deadline. It was a stunning turn of events, given the Clippers are in the midst of a massive turnaround and Harden was playing at a borderline All-Star level, averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 44 games.
But the Sixers and Maxey are plenty familiar with Harden forcing his way off a team. It is how he wound up leaving Philly for the Clippers as part of a blockbuster trade early in the 2023-24 season, after the Sixers would not offer him a long-term extension in the summer of 2023. The Sixers acquired Harden at the 2022 trade deadline in a massive deal that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets.
Still, Maxey and Harden remain close. On the court, Maxey called Harden “somebody who elevates the people that he played with,” and expects him to provide the same to a Cavaliers team that entered Wednesday a half-game up on the Sixers for fifth place in a crowded middle of the Eastern Conference standings.
“He does James Harden stuff,” Maxey said. “He’s a dynamic player with playoff experience. Knows how to play the game. Knows how to get guys involved. Take some pressure off of D. Mitch [Donovan Mitchell], for sure, and get those other guys – [Evan] Mobley, [Jarrett] Allen, [Jaylon] Tyson – easy shots.”
Sixers light on trade assets beyond Maxey and Edgecombe
Tyrese Maxey with teammate VJ Edgecombe.
Aside from Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the Sixers don’t have the assets needed to acquire the type of player who could drastically improve the team via a trade. And the Sixers aren’t going to trade either player.
Joel Embiid is once again playing at an elite level, averaging 29.3 points over the last 15 games. However, he has an extensive injury history and a three-year, $193 million contract extension that kicks in next season. While he looks great at the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty concerning how he’ll hold up in the future.
Meanwhile, Paul George has a tough contract to move after signing a four-year, $211.5 million deal in July 2024. At this stage of his career, he’s recognized as a fourth option on a championship team. Yet George is being paid as a top-two player. As a result, it’s hard to justify taking on his salary at this time.
And since the Sixers aren’t going to trade Maxey or Edgecombe, they shouldn’t forfeit their future by surrendering draft picks to facilitate a trade. They’ll need those picks to acquire young talent and continue building around Maxey and Edgecombe after Embiid and George leave Philly.
What’s the Sixers top priority: upgrading the roster or saving money?
Daryl Morey, the Sixers President of basketball operations, with head coach Nick Nurse in 2024.
Last Week, Joel Embiid expressed his desire to avoid the Sixers’ annual salary dump at the trade deadline to avoid paying the luxury tax.
“So hopefully we keep the same team,” Embiid said on Thursday. “I love all of the guys that are here. I think we’ve got a shot.
“I don’t know what [the front office is] going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we’ve got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great.”
The team is just $1.2 million over the luxury tax threshold, thanks to a $5.8 million tax variance credit because of George’s unpaid suspension, during which he will lose $11.7 million.
Before George’s suspension, the Sixers were $7 million over the tax threshold and were expected to trade away at least one expiring contract. While the Sixers are still expected to make some type of move, they can keep all three of the players — Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million salary), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) — who had expiring contracts that could have helped them duck the tax.
Will Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo end up on another team by the trade deadline?
It’s unclear if the Milwaukee Bucks will trade away Giannis Antetokounmpo, but there are at least four teams seriously interested in landing the two-time MVP, according to multiple reports – Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and New York Knicks
The question is whether those offers are large enough for a team to land the “Greek Freak.” According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, they’re not, meaning “this saga looked likely to extend into the summertime.”
In one proposed trade by ESPN’s NBA insiders, the Bucks would send Antetokounmpo to Philadelphia for Paul George, VJ Edgecombe, and two unprotected first-round picks. Fun, but it appears unlikely the Sixers are willing to part with their rookie phenom.
Three former Sixers players part of deals ahead of NBA trade deadline
James Harden is heading to Cleveland in a swap for point guard Darius Garland.
James Harden to the Cavaliers (per ESPN): The one-time Sixers star/disappointment is on the move again, this time heading to Cleveland in a swap for two-time All-Star Darius Garland. Cleveland is also reportedly sending a second-round pick to the Clippers for Harden, who will join Donovan Mitchell on the court with the goal of advancing past the second round of the playoffs.
Nikola Vucevic to the Celtics (per AP): Boston gets frontcourt depth in exchange for guard Anfernee Simons. The two teams are also reportedly swapping second-round picks. Vucevic, whom the Sixers took in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft, spent the past five and a half seasons with the Bulls.
Kevin Huerter headed to Detroit (per ESPN): The Pistons added some depth in a four-player, three-team deal that will also send former Sixers fan favorite Dario Saric (“The Homie”) to Detroit. The Pistons will also reportedly get a 2026 first-round protected draft pick swap from the Minnesota Timberwolves, whose main motivation is to create salary space. The third team in the deal, the Chicago Bulls, get Mike Conley Jr. and Jaden Ivey.
Boston Celtics post player Chris Boucher is a player the Sixers are reported to have some “exploratory” interest in, according to a HoopsHype report.
A source downplayed the interest in the reserve power forward/center, who has appeared in only nine games this season with the Boston Celtics, averaging just 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.4 minutes.
However, he flourished in the last seven seasons as a reserve glue guy for the Toronto Raptors. Sixers coach Nick Nurse was Raptors coach during Boucher’s first five seasons in Toronto. Nurse was able to get the best out of the undersized post player, who averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 406 games as a Raptor.
Boucher signed a one-year, veteran minimum contract with Boston for $3.2 million, with a cap hit of $2.2 million.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe is averaging 15.1 points and 4.2 assists in his rookie season.
This shouldn’t need to be said, but the Sixers aren’t going to trade VJ Edgecombe for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nor should they. Which also shouldn’t need to be said.
Just in case, let’s say it again.
No Edgecombe for Giannis. No Edgecombe for anyone. No Edgecombe at the trade deadline. No Edgecombe in the offseason.
No Edgecombe, know peace.
To be clear, this isn’t about Giannis, who’s in the midst of the most efficient season of his career, by virtually every measure.
This is purely about Edgecombe. To understand his immense present and future value, you have to watch him on the court. It’s incredibly rare for a 20-year-old rookie to average 35.6 minutes per night for a team that is six games over .500 and has a legitimate chance to make a playoff run. It’s even rarer for said rookie to do it with the maturity and grace that Edgecombe exhibits at both ends of the court. And it’s rarer still for a rookie to possess that veteran-level basketball IQ while also possessing such an electric athletic upside.
Sources have said the Sixers are open to trading veteran center Andre Drummond.
Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.4 million salary): Before Paul George’s 25 game suspension, Oubre’s was viewed as the Sixers’ most tradable contract — especially if the front office was instructed to get under the luxury tax. Now he is vital to the current roster as a tenacious wing defender and offensive player who can slash to the basket — and he has upped his three-point percentage.
Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million): This comes with a massive asterisk because Grimes has the power to veto any trade after signing a one-year qualifying offer in October. Additionally, any trade approved by Grimes would relinquish his’ “Bird” rights, which allow teams to offer their own players a higher salary in free agency. So unless the new destination appears to be an ideal long-term fit, it is unlikely Grimes would sign off on any trade-deadline move and instead enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
Andre Drummond ($5 million): What once looked like a resurgent Drummond season has turned into an odd role for the 14-year veteran. He starts whenever Joel Embiid sits out for injury or load-management reasons, and does not play at all when Embiid is in the lineup. That theoretically makes Drummond expendable — and perhaps the most likely (fringe) rotation player to depart at the deadline.
Eric Gordon ($3.6 million): Gordon, on the tail end of a successful career, has played in only six games in his second season as a Sixer. Trading the 37-year-old in a salary-dump move would open up an additional roster spot that could be used to sign Dominick Barlow or Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract. One wrinkle: Gordon is close with rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, who played with Gordon on the Bahamian national team.
Kyle Lowry ($3.6 million): Lowry is in his 20th NBA season. Like Gordon, he is on a veteran minimum contract. It feels less likely that the Sixers would let go of the Philly native and former Villanova star, given his primarily off-the-court role as a respected leader in the locker room and on the bench.
Expect the deep cold Philadelphia has been experiencing to continue for the next six weeks, at least according to Punxsutawney Phil.
The weather-predicting groundhog saw his shadow Monday outside his hole at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney. If you believe such things, that means the entire country — including our snow-covered section of the Northeast — can expect below-average temperatures for the next six weeks.
That won’t come as a surprise to folks in Philadelphia, where the temperature hasn’t made it past the freezing mark of 32 degrees for more than a week.
Despite the frigid temperatures in Punxsutawney, thousands of Phil’s biggest fans gathered early in the morning for what remains the weirdest celebration of meteorology and marmots.
What do forecasters say?
It’s been so cold, Emily Street and much of Philadelphia remains covered in snow.
Predicting the arrival of spring beyond the vernal equinox on March 20 is tricky business, especially when trying to apply it to a regionally diverse country as large as the United States.
As of Sunday, NOAA was predicting below-average temperatures in February along most of the East Coast all the way west to the Mississippi River. But that’s counterbalanced by above-average temperatures predicted along the West Coast inland as far as Texas.
NOAA’s weather outlook for February, forecasting colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the East Coast.
As for the Philadelphia region, temperatures are expected to remain near or below freezing for at least the next week, with another cold snap possible for the weekend.
The temperature reached above freezing at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday, ending a frigid nine-day streak dating to Jan. 23, the longest since 2004.
If you need to get out, the warmest day of the week is expected to be Tuesday, with highs forecast to reach the mid-30s.
“Outside of that, our high temperatures through the week are looking to be below freezing,” said Amanda Lee, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office, where it dipped to minus-1 degree Sunday morning.
For sake of comparison, the normal high temperature in Philadelphia in the beginning of February is 42 degrees. So we have a ways to go before anything approaching spring reaches the city.
How accurate has Punxsutawney Phil been over the years?
Jim Means holds up Punxsutawney Phil at daybreak on Groundhog Day in 1980.
Were you actually expecting a four-legged creature to accurately predict the weather?
In short, no, I wouldn’t peg my plans over the next six weeks on Phil’s prediction. According to a 2025 analysis by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Phil’s forecast has been accurate only 35% of time, based on data of more than a century.
Last year, when Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, temperatures in Philadelphia were 1.8 degrees above normal for the six weeks following Phil’s forecast, with a high of 48 degrees and a balmy low of 30. Nationally, the contiguous U.S. saw near-average temperatures in February and much-above-average temperatures in March 2025, according to NOAA.
“Phil’s forecast was incorrect,” NOAA said bluntly.
!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
A dead groundhog in Lancaster has been more accurate than Phil
Richard Rankin, Governor of the Groundhog Lodge, poses for a photo with Octoraro Orphie in 2012.
Why brave frigid temperatures in the early morning hours to wait on Phil when you can just pull a stuffed groundhog out of the closet?
That’s what the folks in Lancaster do. Every Groundhog Day since 1907, handlers at the Hibernating Governor of the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge in Quarryville fetch the remains of Octoraro Orphie — often sporting a top hat and bow tie — to offer some weather divination.
They do get outside, celebrating with a parade that ends at the so-called Pinnacle of Prognostication (their tongue-in-cheek description of a manure spreader), where Orphie’s forecast is delivered to the faithful.
What’s wild is the stuffed groundhog is surprisingly accurate, nailing its prediction more than 52% of the time, according to a NOAA analysis done last year.
Orphie did not see his shadow Monday, predicting an early spring. We’ll see which groundhog ends up being right.
Lancaster is a hotbed for groundhog activity, sporting several weather-predicting furballs, including Mount Joy Minnie (who did not see her shadow), M.T. Parker (who did), and a pair of actual living groundhogs in Elliott and Lilly at Acorn Acres who were set to offer their predictions Monday evening.
Staten Island Chuck, seen here at the Staten Island Zoo in 2025.
But none of Pennsylvania’s native groundhogs have been as accurate over the years as Staten Island Chuck. Since his first forecast in 1981, Chuck (formally Charles G. Hogg) has accurately predicted an early spring or six more weeks of winter an astounding 85% of the time, according to NOAA’s analysis.
On Monday, Chuck agreed with Phil, predicting six more weeks of winter, which seems like a safe call.
Chuck has been able to remain accurate despite dealing with much more harrowing conditions than his Pennsylvania counterpart. In 2009, Chuck bit then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and was secretly replaced by granddaughter Charlotte for the 2014 ceremony. Unfortunately, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped Charlotte, and the groundhog died several days later.
How did this whole marmot-predicting-the-weather thing start?
According to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, Romans took the early Christian holiday Candlemas to Germany, where it was said that if there was enough sun on Candlemas Day for a badger to cast a shadow, there would be six more weeks of bad weather.
German immigrants brought this tradition to Pennsylvania, and in 1886 the editor of Punxsutawney’s newspaper teamed up with a group of groundhog hunters to begin the legend of Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prowess. So in the United States and Canada, we celebrate Groundhog Day on the same date Christians across the globe celebrate Candlemas.
Good luck trying to stream Groundhog Day today
Bill Murray in a scene from “Groundhog Day.”
You’re not wrong if you remember seeing Groundhog Day on Netflix the other day. It’s just not there now.
The beloved 1993 comedy, staring Bill Murray and directed by the late Harold Ramis, left Netflix as of Sunday. Other than renting the film through a host of streaming platforms, the only other place to stream Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day is AMC+, a subscription service few have that’ll set you back $9.99 a month (though it does have a seven-day free trial).
If you still have a cable subscription, Groundhog Day is airing all day on AMC beginning at 8:30 a.m. Philly time, so set your DVR.
Are there any other Groundhog Day movies?
If you’re looking for another good time loop flick, check out 1998’s “Run Lola Run.”
Listen, we all love Groundhog Day, but to some watching it each and every year is starting to feel a bit like the movie’s repetitive plot.
There are plenty of Christmas, Halloween, and even Valentine’s Day movies for us to choose from. Aren’t there any other films that take place on Groundhog Day?
Sadly, no. About the best you’ll get are a few animated short films, such as the early Disney flick Winter (featuring Walt Disney’s uncredited voice as a raccoon) and 1947’s One Meat Brawl from Warner Bros. And that’s only if you can find them.
Now, if you’re looking for a movie swiping Groundhog Day’s premise — someone living the same day over and over again — there are a few options, from Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow to the sci-fi comedy Palm Springs, staring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti.
There’s also 1998’s Run Lola Run, a German thriller where Franka Potente’s protagonist gets three chances to re-run the same 20 minutes to save the life of her boyfriend.
After Philly’s biggest snow in 10 years, a very big chill is coming
A person (okay with photograph but no name given), shovels on Flora Street in Brewerytown on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, 9.3 inches of snow fell, the most in a decade.
For the Philly region Monday it wasn’t so much a matter of digging out from the heftiest snowfall in a decade, it was more like a chipping, shaving, scraping, expletive-inducing, and ice-chunk hurling operation.
Public transportation appeared to be getting back on track, and major roads were open for business with speed reductions removed, thanks to crews working through the weekend.
But expect some side streets in the city and elsewhere to remain fit for sleigh rides this week and trash pickup to be delayed. City offices will be shut down again Tuesday, as will Philly school buildings, with Camden and more calling for a snow day or opting for remote learning.
And if you’re stepping outside, get used to that underfoot crunching sensation. The removal operation isn’t going to get much help this week from the atmosphere. It’s about to turn about as frigid as it ever gets around here. New Jersey officials are warning of “historic” demands on energy.
“We’re going to be in the freezer all week,” said Mike Gorse, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly. Philly may have its first zero-degree reading in 32 years later in the week.
It’s as if after recent wimpy winters, the Arctic is reacquainting with Philly and much of the rest of the East.
And did we mention another snow threat for the weekend?
“There’s a chance,” said Marc Chenard, meteorologist with NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center in iced-over College Park, Md., who was among those who had to chuck some frozen boulders before leaving for work Monday morning. “I had to chip it and carry it in pieces,” he said. Sound familiar?
New Jersey and Philly officials expect increased energy demands amid cold
The snow may have stopped falling but officials in Philadelphia and New Jersey say the concerns over the extreme weather and impact on energy grids in the region remain.
The thousands who lost power during the snow storm in New Jersey had it restored by Monday, according to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
She said the relative brevity of outages was due to utilities having workers at the ready “to make sure that if you lost power, they restored it as quickly as possible, knowing how cold it was going to get.”
Still, Sherrill said the state and utilities were preparing for “historic demand” expected Tuesday as a result of the expected temperature drop, which will continue throughout the rest of the week.
Sherrill said her administration has been in touch with PJM Interconnection, the state’s grid operator, to prepare for the surge in demand.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy has issued emergency ordersthat will allow PJM and other grid operators across the country to allow additional resources to stay online and help meet energy demands.
Like New Jersey, the Philadelphia region was also spared major outages Sunday.
But Office of Emergency Management Director Dominick Mireles asked the public to prepare for the potential overload of the energy grid and heating grid as the temperature could feel as though it were in the negatives with the wind chill.
Mireles suggested sealing drafts in homes, lowering the thermostat, even if by a few degrees, and switching to more energy efficient items. Something like doing laundry in non-peak hours could help relieve some of the strain on the grid, he said.
“To prepare in the event that you do lose power, you can do things like try to keep your devices charged and use flashlights instead of candles,” he said.
Philadelphia digs out from storm while planning for frigid temperatures
As Philadelphia continues to dig its way out of the weekend winter storm that dropped more than 9 inches of snow on the city, officials are turning an eye to the frigid forecast that is expected to stick around until next week.
“If you don’t have to go outside, do not. If you do not have to drive, please don’t,” Mayor Cherelle L. Park said at news conference Monday.
Parker’s warning came amid the city’s continued snow emergency that is to remain in effect until further notice. Streets Department workers are continuing snow-removal efforts, and had melted about 900 tons of snow with a snow melting machine over the past 10 hours, Parker said. But there was no timeline for the cleanup’s completion, and it could be complicated by the cold weather, Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives.
“We’re about to hit a deep freeze., and so whatever we don’t get could possibly freeze, and it makes it that much more difficult for us to plow frozen material,” Williams said.
Officials asked Philadelphia residents to help with cleanup efforts by, among other things, not shoveling snow from their sidewalks into the street. Parker also reminded motorists to not park their cars on snow emergency routes, and noted that roughly 350 vehicles had been towed from those routes on Sunday alone.
“This slows down our response, and it delays us from being able to clear this emergency,” Parker said. She added that residents who believe their car was towed from a snow emergency route can call 215-686-SNOW for further information.
Dominick Mireles, director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management, said the city was making preparations for the cold weather to come. The city, he said, expects high demands on its energy and heating infrastructure during the cold snap, and anticipates that the frigid temperatures could have impacts on the city’s water mains.
The Philadelphia Water Department, meanwhile, remains in an “enhanced operational posture” due to the prolonged cold, commissioner Benjamin Jewell said. He asked that if residents see a water leak or experience a service interruption, they can contact the department at 215-685-3600.
The city will also continue to run its warming centers, with daytime service at select libraries, and nighttime service at select recreation centers, said Crystal Yates Gale, deputy managing director for Health and Human Services. The warming centers will operate until the freezing conditions end, she added.
“Humans are not meant to be outside in those conditions,” she said.
Philadelphia school buildings won’t be open Tuesday as road conditions remain rough in many places after the weekend’s significant winter storm.
After Mayor Cherelle L. Parker told residents city offices and courts would be closed Tuesday, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. affirmed the call for schools “out of an abundance of caution.”
The district sent students’ Chromebooks home with them Friday, allowing for a possible day of virtual learning Tuesday. Though Monday is a true day off, Watlington warned that if the snow required any further changes, he would pivot to virtual instruction.
City offices and courts will remain closed Tuesday as Philadelphia continues to recover from the weekend storm, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said at a Monday news conference.
“Despite the tireless work involved in our intergovernmental response, we are not out of the woods, Philadelphia,” Parker said.
The closures are part of a continuing snow emergency declared in the city late Saturday. That snow emergency has not yet been lifted, and will continue until further notice, Parker said.
Watch: Mayor Parker offers updates on snow aftermath
// Timestamp 01/26/26 1:56pm
Camden schools to be closed Tuesday
Camden City School District schools and offices would be closed Tuesday, citing “unsafe conditions on streets and sidewalks” following Sunday’s storm.
“This additional closure will allow our Facilities Department more time to fully clear sidewalks and school grounds and ensure safe access to our buildings,” the district said in a statement.
PennDot has ‘plenty of salt on hand’ as road cleanup continues
SEPTA 27 bus along Ridge Avenue heading to Wissahickon Station Monday.
Gov. Josh Shapiro lauded the efforts of PennDot workers during the weekend’s storm at a Monday news conference, noting the department was “busy all across the commonwealth” due to the inclement weather hitting essentially all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
“Everybody felt an impact,” Shapiro said. The widespread nature of the storm, he added, was an unusual element, with snow totals surpassing 12 inches in some areas of the state.
PennDot secretary Mike Carroll said the department’s response to the storm was a team win, aided by agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
“Folks across the spectrum did their part to help us really successfully deal with what is a very large winter storm these days,” Carroll said. “We’ve had a tremendous response to this storm.”
Prior to the storm’s arrival Sunday, PennDot issued vehicle restrictions for state roads that limited travel, and officials asked travelers to refrain from driving unless absolutely necessary. Shapiro said Monday that it appeared drivers had heeded those warnings, and asked that Pennsylvanians continue to stay home to allow cleanup to continue.
“Being off the road, being home today, is going to continue to allow PennDot to go out and clean up the last remaining roads and make sure that any of these spots that are wet won’t freeze up,” Shapiro said.
PennDot officials previously said that the department’s District 6, which encompasses the Philadelphia area, had roughly 70,000 tons of salt on hand to deal with the storm’s impacts. Bucks County, where Shapiro and Carroll spoke, started with roughly 14,000 of salt, and were down to an estimated 9,000 tons, though exact figures were not immediately available.
An additional 15,000 tons of salt were due to arrive in Bucks County this week, and officials said they anticipated no supply shortages.
“The department has plenty of salt on hand,” said PennDot assistant district executive for maintenance Tom Rogal. “We will not have any issues receiving and maintaining salt.”
Cheltenham and Upper Darby schools will be virtual Tuesday
The Cheltenham and Upper Darby school districtswill have virtual instruction Tuesday, as officials said road conditions were still too poor following the storm.
“After consulting with my team, many roads remain unpassable and are likely to refreeze after dusk, making bussing on Tuesday too risky,” CheltenhamSuperintendent Brian Scriven told families in a message Monday afternoon.
In Upper Darby, Superintendent Dan McGarry told families Monday afternoon that “unfortunately, we are going to need another day to continue to remove snow and ice.”
Many other Philadelphia-area districts have yet to announce Tuesday plans. The Philadelphia School District is expected to make an announcement at 3 p.m.
Scriven said Cheltenham administrators were “hopeful schools will return to normal operations as soon as possible,” and would communicate any additional schedule changes before Wednesday.
An inflatable Elmo ball rolls along a sidewalk Sunday.
Will Philadelphia schools be in session Tuesday, or give students and staff another day to dig out of the significant snowfall dumped on the region this weekend?
The district sent students’ Chromebooks home with them Friday, allowing for a possible day of virtual learning Tuesday. Though Monday is a true day off, Watlington said if the snow causes any further changes, he would pivot to virtual instruction.
At least one district has already announced plans for Tuesday. Haddon Heights, in South Jersey, will have a two-hour delay. Upper Darby school officials said they will call Tuesday plans “as soon as we are able to assess district facilities.”
Philly has a shot at breaking its 32-year zero-less streak
Yerome Rillera and his 9-year-old son, Kersey, sled down the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum in Philadelphia Monday.
It was up to 27 degrees at noon at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday, but it looks like it’s not going to make it to 30, and this is going to be the warmest of the next several days.
In fact, temperatures may have trouble getting out of the teens until the weekend, and Philly has a shot at reaching zero for the first time in 30 years later in the week.
The forecast lows will be in the single digits all week, and down to 1 above on Friday, the National Weather Service says.
Mike Gorse, meteorologist in the Mount Holly office, said the stubborn snow cover “absolutely” would increase the chances of the airport reaching zero for the first time since January 1994.
Snow is ideal for daytime heating (such as it is) to soar into space after sunset. Clear skies and light winds would further enhance the cooling.
State of emergency in N.J. ends, all major highways cleared
New Jersey achieved “black top” on all state highways and interstates Monday morning as crews continued to treat highways, according to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
The New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway had also been cleared and will continue to be treated through the evening. Speed restrictions have been lifted.
But while the roads were no longer piled high with snow, Sherrill urged common sense for those who have to drive.
“These are wet roads, and the temperatures are below freezing, so be careful on bridges, on off and on-ramps,” she said.
So far, 85 bus lines connecting New York and Philadelphia are operational and most of the train lines should come online by the afternoon, though on a weekend schedule.
Sherrill said a state of emergency, which allowed New Jersey to access additional plows, salt, and other necessary equipment, ended at noon.
Speed limit restored on all major roadways across Philly region
Cars enter and leave Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge Sunday.
All speed and vehicle restrictions have been lifted on all interstates and major highways across the Philadelphia region, PennDot announced Monday.
Speed restrictions on U.S. 30 and U.S. 202 in Chester County were lifted at noon, while restrictions on interstates and other major state highways were removed earlier in the morning.
PennDot said it would continue to treat roadways until all travel lanes and shoulders are clear.
Connor Phan shovels out his car in the East Falls section Philadelphia Monday.
Anyone who has been out shoveling Monday can attest to the fact that not all snowfalls are created equal when it comes to getting their remains out of the way.
This one was especially challenging because it was chock full of ice chunks, the result of the harvest of sleet that feel after Sunday’s snow ended. Moving it required varying degrees of chipping, shaving, and boulder-hurling. Another challenge in this instance was the weight of it all.
Officially, 9.3 inches of snow was measured at Philadelphia International Airport, but given how much liquid was in the snowpack, the weight likely would have been similar to a snowfall of 12 to 15 inches of well-fluffed snow.
The snow-and-sleet melt at the airport came to about 1.1 inches. An inch of water over a square foot weighs an estimated 5.2 pounds.
On a 200-square-foot driveway — a 10 by 20 — what fell Sunday weighed about 1,144 pounds. On a 100-square-foot sidewalk — 5 by 20 — that would be 572 pounds.
In this case, given all the ice, it probably felt like more.
Trash trucks with plows clear Midvale Avenue near Ridge Avenue on Monday.
You can (likely) take your trash cans in if you’re expecting pick up Monday, as a slate of municipalities in Chester County are delaying trash and recycling collection services after the area was blanketed in snow this weekend.
Here’s a look at the delays municipalities have advertised online:
Avondale: Trash pick up moved to Tuesday.
Caln: Shifted by one day through the week, beginning Tuesday for Monday customers.
Kennett Square: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
East Brandywine: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
East Bradford: Trash pick up moved to Saturday.
East Caln: Trash pick up canceled this week.
East Fallowfield: Trash pick up moved to Saturday.
East Goshen: Shifted by one day through the week, beginning Tuesday for Monday customers.
Easttown: Trash pick up moved to Tuesday.
Elverson: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
Sadsbury: Shifted by one day through the week
Spring City: Trash and recycling delayed until Tuesday and Wednesday.
Upper Uwchlan: Trash and recycling for Monday will be delayed until at least Tuesday, but the township may have further updates.
Uwchlan: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
West Chester: Shifted by one day through the week.
West Goshen: No collection Monday; the township will provide updates on collection for Tuesday.
West Whiteland: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
Westtown: Shifted by one day through the week, beginning Tuesday for Monday customers and Friday for Thursday customers.
Three people die while shoveling snow in Lehigh County
In Lehigh County, about 60 miles northwest from Philly, at least three people died on Sunday attempting to clear snow, said the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensics Center in a statement Monday.
The National Weather Service recorded 11.8 inches of snow at the Lehigh Valley International Airport over the weekend.
The three who died ranged in age from 60 to 84, according to the statement. All were shoveling snow or using another method to remove snow before experiencing a medical emergency.
The coroner’s office isn’t disclosing more information about the people who died out of respect for the families, Coroner Daniel Buglio said in the statement.
Miguel Estevez with Independent Construction clears the steps in the East Falls section of Philadelphia Monday. Connor Phan gets a start digging his car out. Residents begin to dig out on Calumet Street near Ridge Avenue Monday.
// Timestamp 01/26/26 8:28am
More cancellations at PHL
Crews deice a Delta plane as snow falls at Philadelphia International Airport Sunday.
At least 134 flights have been canceled going into or out of Philadelphia International Airport Monday, an improvement from the 641 flights canceled during Sunday’s storm.
The airport also reopened all its security checkpoints Monday morning, according to a spokesperson. American Airlines is asking its passengers to use A-West, B-C and F ticketing Monday. A-East is closed for American passengers only.
Across the country, more than 1,000 flights have been canceled Monday, according to Flight Aware, with airports near New York City and the Washington, D.C., experiencing the brunt of the delays.
Travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines for the latest flight information.
A trash truck with plow clearing Midvale Avenue in the East Falls section of Philadelphia Monday.
Trash and recycling collections are suspended in Philadelphia on Monday. Collections will be one day behind for the rest of the week.
Areas of the city that receive two trash collections per week, like Center City, South Philadelphia, and North Philadelphia, will only have one this week. Residents should expect collection delays as the crews navigate the snow and ice.
Residents who can’t wait until collection to hold their trash can drop them off at one of the city’s six sanitation convenience centers, open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SEPTA riders board the 47 bus at Eighth and Market Streets Sunday.
After shutdowns across the system Sunday, SEPTA said it planned to gradually restore service Monday.
Service on all Regional Rail, bus, Access, and Metro routes T and G remained suspended Monday morning.
When it is safe to do so, Regional Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule, while bus and Metro will operate on a Monday schedule.
PATCO trains are operating on a delayed snow schedule Monday, with service every 15 to 20 minutes.
NJ Transit service on all light rail systems resumed Monday morning. The agency planned to gradually ramp up bus and Access Link service throughout the day, as road conditions allow.
Pedestrians try to navigate Gay Street as snow falls in West Chester, Pa. Sunday.
It officially snowed 9.3 inches in Philadelphia, according to the National Weather Service.
The service said 9.1 inches of snow and sleet was topped with an additional 0.2 inches overnight. That’s officially the most snow to drop in Philadelphia since a January 2016 blizzard, which dropped 22.4 inches onto the city.
Allentown ended with 11.8 inches, while Trenton ended up with 8.9 inches.
Here are totals from across the region as of 8 p.m. Sunday, so they don’t include whatever was added by freezing rain overnight.
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
Snow-covered cars line Cresson Street in the East Falls section of Philadelphia on Monday.
Across the Philadelphia region, the ground remains covered with a mixture of snow and sleet, all given a shiny finish with some overnight freezing rain.
The melt is going to take its good old time.
Temperatures Monday are expected to be in the upper 20s, with wind chills making it feel at times closer to 0 degrees.
Then, it’s going to turn colder.
Highs in Philly will struggle to reach 20 degrees Tuesday through Saturday, with overnight lows in the single digits.
“We’re going to have a rather glacial snowpack for the foreseeable future,” said Alex Staarmann, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
The next several days should be dry, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. Some talk is brewing about a storm threat late next weekend or early in the week, but that can wait for another day.
All things considered, a trauma-free snow day in Philly
David Friedman (center) pulls his sons Noah, 5, (left) and Zachary, 3, after they went sledding at the Society Hill Towers Sunday.
For the abject unpleasantness of the weather Sunday, the region for the most part appeared to be trauma-free.
That probably had something to do with the fact that it was indeed, Sunday,and that the storm may have set an unofficial record for a pre-event drumbeat.
Computers had been on to something big happening for about a week, at one point suggesting historic amounts of snow for Philly. The anticipation and anxiety evidently were major boons to local supermarkets — where carb shortages and human stampedes were reported — and hardware stores.
In the end, the storm did unfold pretty much as the late-week forecasts suggested, with a thump of heavy snow in the morning with several inches accumulating.
One not-so-mild surprise was the cold, with temperatures during the day Sunday several degrees below forecasts.
The cold had a benefit: It resulted in a dry, powdery snow, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. That robbed the region of that postcard look as the moderate winds were able to shake it off the trees, but it also reduced the power-outage potential.
For those who have endured long power outages, it very likely was worth the aesthetic deprivation.
When the snow turned to sleet during the late morning, temperatures were still in the teens, and the ice balls accumulated on the snowpack, adding unwanted weight.
The ice also will add endurance to the snowpack, meteorologists said. Snowflakes can out-melt ice anyway. So forget the yard work for a while.
// RelatedLink Text: Top January storms URL: https://www.inquirer.com/weather/philadelphia-snow-top-10-january-snowfall-totals-snowstorms-history-20260124.html
Philly’s biggest snow in five years has an icy finish, and it isn’t going anywhere soon
George Lynch, 11, slides on his stomach down 2nd Street in the Society Hill neighborhood Sunday.
Hours of percussive sleet layered a nasty icing on Philadelphia’s biggest snowfall in five years Sunday, and it may be some time before bare ground resurfaces in the region, if not normality.
This was not the stuff of postcards.
Officially 7.4 inches of snow was measured at unusually quiet Philadelphia International Airport, with similar amounts reported in the neighboring counties, as temperatures didn’t get out of the teens during the day anywhere near Philly.
And shovelers beware: That mess may weight as much as 18 inches of pure snow. Besides, we may be out of practice. This was the most snow since the 81 inches of Feb. 2-3, 2021. Incidentally, that snowfall was the biggest in five years, in what has been a generally snow-deprived decade.
Forecasters say it is unlikely that the precipitation would flip back to snow, but some additional accumulation was possible, since sleet — liquid that freezes before it lands — counts as snow. In some places it was falling at the rate of 0.5 inches an hour, the National Weather Service said, an extraordinary rate for sleet.
Some freezing rain — liquid that freezes on contact with a surface — was possible Sunday evening, said Nick Guzzo, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
However, widespread power outages were unlikely, a function of the unusual behavior of a potent but peculiar storm that wrought a familiar set of disruptions and inconveniences.
A pedestrian walks under the Benjamin Franklin Bridge Sunday.
A far-reaching winter storm blanketed the Mid-Atlantic in an icy brew of snow and sleet Sunday, with preliminary totals nearing a foot in parts of New Jersey.
Philadelphia ranked near the top end of regional totals. A survey of five regional National Weather Service offices showed PHL’s total ranked 103rd of 565 reports made in the last six hours.
The Philadelphia metropolitan region generally received between four and nine inches of snow by early Sunday afternoon, according to National Weather Service reports.
Among the highest totals:
Pottstown – 9.5 inches
Norristown – 8.7 inches
Stowe – 8.5 inches
Lower Pottsgrove – 8.5 inches
New Hanover – 8.5 inches
Use the map and chart below to find preliminary snow totals in your area. Hover over dots on the map to reveal more information, or search for Philadelphia-area totals below.
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
Russ Walters skies along Race Street in the Old City neighborhood Sunday. Pedestrians walk in the middle of a plowed but empty Haddon Avenue in downtown Collingswood. Mike Doveton and his daughters. Maya, 10, and Jaydan (hidden), 6, board a PATCO train with their sleds heading out to snow. A pedestrian uses their umbrella as snow falls on Race Street.
// Timestamp 01/25/26 1:41pm
Philly officially has its biggest snow in five years
Julie Cohen makes a snow angel on the snow covered lawn at Independence Mall Sunday.
At 1 p.m., 7.4 inches of snow was measured at Philadelphia International Airport, the biggest snow in five years.
It also pushed the seasonal total to 13.8 inches, also the highest since the winter of 2020-21.
Given how cold it was during the snowfall, the regional totals didn’t show their usual wide variations, and were mostly in the 6- to 8-inch range. It’s possible that another inch could be added to the totals with the slow-accumulating sleet and a possible flip-back to light snow before the precipitation ends.
Some freezing rain also is possible late in the day or evening Sunday.
Two pedestrian brave the weather in Washington Square Park Sunday.
Temperatures at the surface remain in the teens, but sleet has routed the snow throughout the region.
Before the changeover, weather service spotters reported as much as 7 inches of snow. By convention, spotters measure snow before changeovers, since sleet and rain compress the snowpack.
Sleet, which is liquid that freezes on the way to the surface, counts as snowfall, but it accumulates ponderously. A tenth of an inch of liquid will yield about an inch of snow, but it would take three times that to produce an inch of sleet.
The changeover is the result of a layer of warm air in the upper atmosphere imported from the ocean by the onshore winds of a potent coastal storm.
The sleet is due continue this afternoon, and freezing rain also remains a possibility before it all ends late tonight or early Monday, said Nick Guzzo, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly.
Whereas sleet and freezing rain hold down accumulations, he notes that they slow down the melting process.
Ice cubes take longer to melt than snowflakes.
Be careful shoveling. The whole frozen mess may feel like it weighs as much as 18 inches of snow.
Mike Orazietti takes a break at Wawa from snowplowing in West Chester Sunday.
Five inches or more of snow have fallen in several locations in the Philly region, according to reports from National Weather Service trained spotters.
Here is the current list, which is likely to grow before sleet mixes in the next few hours:
Lehigh Valley International Airport cancels all flights Sunday
ABE is currently closed. Snow Ops continue as long as weather conditions allow for our team to work safely. We encourage travelers to check with their airline for flight delays or cancellations impacting Sunday / Monday's schedule. @69News@mcall@LVNewsdotcom@lehighvalleypic.twitter.com/MyTfQgElWI
Warming centers across Philadelphia will remain open during this storm as part of the ongoing Code Blue declaration, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said a news conference Sunday.
24-hour warming centers are available for use, stocked with water, snacks, blankets, warming kits, and cots, said Crystal Yates-Galle, deputy managing director for health and human services.
Jonathan Ahmad (left) and Michael Thompson clear snow in Old City Sunday.
Carlton Williams, director of the office of clean and green initiatives, debunked a widespread piece of misinformation he said has been circulating online.
No, he said, the city is not handing out free salt, which it needs for roadways and events given the expected icy conditions.
“We must be smart about the work that we’re doing … because this is a matter of life and death if we don’t get this right,” Williams said at a news conference Sunday.
Williams said 4 to 7 inches of snow are expected to fall in the next couple hours, and it’s likely to freeze.
Meanwhile, in some parts of the city, accumulation will likely get to a point where snow must be removed from the neighborhood and deposited elsewhere.
The city has also invested in a snow melter “that delivers 135 tons an hour melting snow,” Williams said.
So far, that snow has fallen at a rate of two inches in two hours, said Dom Morales, director of the office of emergency management
Like other officials, he warned of treacherous conditions on the roads, noting that state’s 511PA website can provide details on road conditions.
“Whether you have four wheel drive, all wheel drive, the conditions are not favorable to being on the road right now,” Morales said.
He warned that sleet and freezing rain could create “invisible ice” and lead people to fall off their stoops even if they’ve shoveled earlier.
Morales encouraged people to keep their phones charged in case power goes out and check out the city’s website for details on how to respond to common scenarios including a downed tree, a water emergency, and a power outage.
“Philly we have a few more days ahead of us,” Morales said. “So please, let’s keep ready, and let’s take care of one another.”
Cherry Hill Mall, Christiana Mall close due to snow
Carmen Roman clears snow off her car at the Wawa on Haddonfield Road in Cherry Hill Sunday.
Both the Cherry Hill Mall and the Christiana Mall will be closed Sunday due to the snow.
In New Castle County, level 2 driving restrictions are in effect, meaning only essential personnel are permitted to drive.
In Philadelphia, Emilia, James Beard Award-winning chef Greg Vernick’s Italian restaurant in Kensington, has postponed its scheduled opening from Monday to Tuesday. Vernick told The Inquirer he was unsure if his fish supplier could deliver Monday.
Alex Peralta shovels a sidewalk on Gay Street in West Chester, Pa., Sunday.
Snow totals of 4 to 6 inches have been reported across the region as heavy snow continues.
Meanwhile, the sleet line continues to advance northward and had reached central Delaware by mid morning. The Washington, D.C., area flipped to sleet around 8:30 a.m., after about seven inches had accumulated.
Sleet is expected to join the party in the immediate Philly area by early afternoon, and that would put the brakes on further accumulations. Before that happens, it is possible that the city officially will have had its biggest snowfall in five years.
Parker warns Philly residents to stay home and off the roads
A pedestrian uses their umbrella as snow falls in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia Sunday.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker asked people to stay home and off the roads if possible as the city grapples with a winter storm that has dumped about three inches so far — and is expected to turn to ice in the coming hours.
“This remains a significant winter storm, and there are rough travel conditions expected all day,” Parker said.
Parker said 1,000 city workers are clearing roads and sidewalks and battling snow with about 600 pieces of equipment, including triaxial dump trucks, loaders, sanitation compactors with plows attached, and pickup trucks.
“And this was a new one for me, Philadelphia, even ATVs have been deployed,” Parker noted.
Philadelphia remains under a snow emergency that began Saturday night at 9 p.m.. The city has no update on when it plans to lift the emergency.
The city has teams working in “an enhanced emergency posture” to address the needs of people affected by the bitter cold. The city has implemented 250 additional beds for those in need, Parker said. If residents see anyone in need of immediate help, they can call 215-232-1984.
SEPTA to suspend bus, regional rail service at 2 p.m.
A SEPTA Regional rail train heading through the East Falls section of Philadelphia Sunday.
SEPTA will suspend all bus and Regional Rail service at 2 p.m. Sunday, the agency announced.
As for trolley service, the T1 is suspended, the T3 is cutting back at 59th/Chester, and the T4 is cutting back at Island/Woodland, SEPTA said. The T2 and T5 are currently running regular service.
The Market-Frankford and Broad Street subway lines will continue to run. through the storm, the agency said. Crews have been assigned to keep station entrances, platforms, and sidewalks clean of ice and snow, as best they can.
A pedestrian walks across Race Street along 2nd Street in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia. Michael Thompson (right) and Jonathan Ahmad clear snow. Carmen Roman clears snow off her car after dropping her partner off at work at the Costco In Cherry Hill early Sunday morning.
// Timestamp 01/25/26 9:27am
$5 parking in Center City garages to avoid getting your car towed
A Philadelphia Parking Authority truck tows a car from South Broad Street, a snow emergency route, earlier this month.
As the snow covers everything in its path, parking on designated snow emergency routes is the fastest way to get your car towed.
To prevent this, the Philadelphia Parking authority is offering $5 parking for 24 hours in Center City garages until the snow emergency is lifted.
Philadelphia Family Court Garage (1503-11 Arch Street – Going south on 15th Street, enter the garage on the west side just after 15th & Cherry Streets)
Meters and time limit violations won’t be enforced until the emergency ends. But if you suspect your car was towed, call 215-686-SNOWor visit www.philapark.org/tow to locate it. A license plate number is needed.
PennDOT and Philadelphia Department of Streets are working hard plowing to keep highways and roads passable. Please avoid unnecessary travel so they have room to safely work. If traveling, use caution and give yourself at least 6 car lengths behind snow response equipment. pic.twitter.com/yATOdEnJqV
2 to 3 inches of snow have already fallen across the Philadelphia region.
Not that the bar was especially high, but officially Philly has had its biggest snowfall of the month, with 1.6 inches measured officially at the mostly dormant Philadelphia International Airport.
That tops the 1.1-inch report of last weekend. It also brings the seasonal total to 8, and one of the safer bets is that this winter will end up being snowier than the winter of 2024-25 – 8.1 inches.
By 8:30 a.m., amounts of 2.5 to 3 inches were common throughout the region.
The next official report from PHL is due at 1 p.m. For now, it is playing catch-up with the 1.8-inch reading at Rittenhouse Square.
Heavy snow arrives, with ice to follow. It all may stick around for a week or more.
Dog walkers and fresh snow along Cresson Street in the East Falls section of Philadelphia.
It may not approach their magnitudes, but Sunday’s snow-and-ice cold brew is expected to bear eerie similarities to some of Philly’s historic winter storms and perhaps rival them for disruption.
By 7 a.m., up to 3 inches had been reported around the region, with heaviest amounts to the south where the snow started earlier.
Officially, at Philadelphia International Airport, 1.6 inches had been measured, already making this the city’s biggest official total of the month. But Center City trumped it at 1.8.
From 8 to 10 inches was expected around the city before the snow mixes with sleet and possibly freezing rain during the afternoon, said Nick Guzzo, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly. All that is subject to change, of course.
The precipitation is due to shut off early Monday, but by then it may be a case of welcome to ice station Philly.
Nothing that falls is going to melt, as temperatures will get no higher than the 20s Sunday and may not see 30 for the rest of the week
Snow falls in Manayunk. Several inches of snow have already fallen in Bear, Del. Snow covers the trees in Conshohocken, Montgomery County.
// Timestamp 01/25/26 8:11am
Cancellations piling up at PHL
Crews deice a Delta plane as snow falls at Philadelphia International Airport Sunday, Jan 25, 2026.
At least 641 flights have been canceled going into or out of Philadelphia International Airport Sunday, as a major snowstorm moves across the Northeast.
Due to the reduced number of flights, TSA agents will only be operating at checkpoints A-East, D/E, and F.
Travels are encouraged to check with their airlines for the latest flight information.
The National Weather Service is forecasting 8.5 inches of snow will fall in Philadelphia, followed by sleet and freezing rain.
On Saturday, the National Weather Service was going with 8 to 10 inches for the immediate Philly area, said meteorologist Amanda Lee, with less to the southeast. AccuWeather Inc. was calling for 6 to 10 inches.
A lot of that would fall during a “front-end thump,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Elizabeth Glenny. Once the mixing begins, accumulation rates would back off.
While people understandably want to know how many inches of snow are going to land, that is almost always difficult to answer, meteorologists say, especially in a storm of this nature.
In this case, snow amounts are dependent on a coastal storm that had not yet formed Saturday and on what might happen in parts of the atmosphere that are not well-observed.
Temperatures in the bottom 5,500 feet of the atmosphere over Philly are expected to remain below freezing, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines, but computer models insist that a warm layer in the higher atmosphere would result in the changeover.
That warmth would be imported from the Atlantic Ocean by the strong onshore winds from the northeast generated by the storm — it’s not for nothing that these things are called nor’easters.
Another wild card would be if the snow is heavy enough that it could survive the warm layer and delay the changeover.
But the mixing of sleet, which is liquid that remains frozen in its trip through the atmosphere, and freezing rain, liquid that freezes on contact, is inevitable, forecasters said.
Freezing rain atop a snowpack is especially dangerous because it adds weight to vulnerable and snow-burdened power lines and tree branches. Sleet is polite enough to bounce off hard surfaces, but since it is pure ice, it is slower to melt.
Said the weather service’s Mike Lee, the mixing “just means we’re getting a different blend of horrors.”
Midvale Avenue is covered in fresh snow in the East Falls section of Philadelphia.
Snow is forecast to accumulate rapidly Sunday morning, with temperatures in the teens and snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour.
Models were suggesting sleet could mix in as soon as early afternoon, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.
Temperatures in the bottom 5,500 feet of the atmosphere are going to remain well below freezing. However, as the coastal storm intensifies, its onshore winds from the northeast are forecast to import warmer air from over the ocean into the upper atmosphere, which would change the snow to sleet and rain Sunday afternoon and evening.
It’s possible the precipitation will flip back to all snow and accumulate maybe another inch early Monday, Staarmann said. But at that point it would have all the impact of drizzle in the ocean. The mass of snow and ice evidently will be vacationing in Philly for a while.
“It will stick around for a week, maybe two weeks,” Staarmann said.
Vehicle restrictions on Pa. highways now in effect
PennDOT implemented vehicle restrictions on Pennsylvania highways due to the storm
Vehicle restrictions aimed at limiting the number of cars on roads statewide during Sunday’s snowstorm are not in effect across Pennsylvania.
PennDot’s vehicle restrictions are instituted in a tiered system, with today’s coming in at tier four — the second-highest level. Under that tier, commercial vehicles are totally prohibited from using a number of interstates around Pennsylvania, as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
“The decision to implement these restrictions was made with the intention of balancing safety for everyone on the roadway, including commercial drivers,” PennDot secretary Mike Carroll told reporters Friday at a news conference. “We will remove these restrictions as soon as conditions warrant.”
In addition to limiting the travel of vehicles like tractor trailers and commercial buses, PennDot’s restrictions also apply to school buses, motorcycles, RVs, and passenger vehicles that are towing trailers, Carroll added. None of those vehicles, he said, are permitted to use roadways while the restrictions are in place.
Officials urged motorists to stay home, noting the anticipated snowfall rate of one to two inches per hour, as well as the overall snowfall totals, will make keeping roads safe and clear difficult.
Restrictions, PennDot notes online, are evaluated hourly. Pennsylvania’s traveler information website, 511PA, keeps an up to date map of which roads are impacted by the restrictions, and Carroll recommended travelers check that website before heading out, should they absolutely have to.
“Stay home and watch the NFL games, despite the fact that the Eagles and Steelers are not playing,” Carroll said.
But as large and disruptive as this storm will likely be, it will have a difficult time cracking the list of the top January snowstorms in Philly history.
It would take 12.3 inches of snow for this latest storm to make its way on to the list of the snowiest January storms in Philly history. That would match a 1922 event dubbed the “Knickerbocker storm” because snow caused the collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, D.C., killing 98 people, which remains the worst natural disaster in the city’s history.
Here’s the full list of the Philly snowfalls of a foot or more in January history:
But as large and disruptive as this storm will likely be, it will have a difficult time cracking the list of the top January snowstorms in Philly history.
This storm isn’t that, though thanks to a dangerous component of sleet and ice it will impact a large swath of the country, from West Texas to Maine.
It would take 12.3 inches of snow for this latest storm to make its way on to the list of the snowiest January storms in Philly history. That would match a 1922 event dubbed the “Knickerbocker storm” because snow caused the collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, D.C., killing 98 people, which remains the worst natural disaster in the city’s history.
Here’s the full list of the Philly snowfalls of a foot or more in January history:
30.7 inches: Jan. 7-8, 1996
22.4 inches: Jan. 22-23, 2016
16.7 inches: Jan. 22-23, 1935
15.1 inches: Jan. 26-27, 2011
13.5 inches: Jan. 21-22, 2014
13.2 inches: Jan. 19-20, 1961
13.2 inches: Jan. 19-20, 1978
12.6 inches: Jan. 22-23, 2005
12.3 inches: Jan. 28-29, 1922
Top 10 snowstorms in Philadelphia history
!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
A major snowstorm is expected to hit Philadelphia and the region this weekend. It could be the city’s first double-digit snowfall in 10 years, though the latest forecast has snow totals down slightly.
Heavy snow and potentially dangerous icing are expected in Philly this weekend
FILE – February 8, 2014 A crew from northern Illinois works to restore power at Broad Street and Warren Avenue in Malvern. February 8, 2014.
Philadelphia could experience more snow this weekend than it did during the the entire winter of 2024-25, but the forecast updates Friday suggested that may not be the worst of the storm’s offerings.
In issuing a profoundly predictable winter storm warning, in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service said that in addition to 8 to 12 inches of snow, as much as a quarter-inch of freezing rain could accumulate. That would greatly increase the power outage potential.
Whatever the outcome, the storm still in its formative stage already has had significant impacts on the region and may have set an unofficial record for pre-storm buildup and preemptive closings.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker declared a state of emergency for Sunday, as did Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill. PennDot is imposing speed restrictions. SEPTA is expecting issues.
Some schools already were planning for multiple-day closings, as the snow and ice will be accompanied by one of the region’s more impressive cold snaps of the last several years.
Were it not for the storm, in fact, the cold might be getting headlines.
Wind chills Saturday morning are expected to drop below zero. Sunday’s high of 25 degrees may make it the warmest day of the week.
It is likely that layers of snow and ice will harden into a frozen mass that the January sun won’t be able to do a whole lot about.
As a public service, for now we will hold off on mentioning another potential storm threat.
Gov. Josh Shapiro on Friday signed a disaster emergency declaration for Pennsylvania, freeing up resources for preparation and support efforts ahead of the coming weekend winter storm.
“Today, I signed a disaster declaration for the entire Commonwealth to ensure our agencies have all necessary resources ready to go,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Stay off the roads if you can, be safe, and follow instructions from PEMA and your local authorities.”
The declaration, Shapiro’s office said, more easily allows the state to use funding to give various state agencies the resources required to more effectively respond to the storm and county and municipality level. Much of the state is expected to experience significant snowfall as part of the storm, with forecasters calling for 8 to 12 inches of snow for the Philadelphia region, as well as ice totals of 0.25 inches.
In addition to announcing the disaster emergency declaration, Shapiro’s office urged Pennsylvanians to stay off the roads during the storm if possible.
Locally, Delaware County also declared a disaster emergency that will run for seven days starting Friday, county officials said. The storm, the county said in a statement, could cause “injury, damage, and suffering” to Delco residents, prompting the declaration.
“Please avoid unnecessary travel, particularly during the peak of the storm and ensure that you have enough essentials to last several days in case travel becomes difficult,” said Delaware County Council Chair Richard Womack.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declares state of emergency
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has declared a state of emergency in the state ahead of the impending weekend winter storm, and issued statewide commercial vehicle restrictions on interstate highways.
“It’s been a while since we have seen a storm like this,” Sherrill said at a Friday news conference. “We’re tough, but we need to be prepared. We have to be safe.”
Sherrill, who was inaugurated earlier this week as New Jersey’s 57th governor, also urged residents to stay indoors throughout the duration of the storm, and refrain from traveling unless absolutely necessary. Potential road conditions for early Monday, she added, remained in flux, as the state could possibly “still be digging out” from the storm.
“Don’t commit to anything Monday morning,” Sherrill said.
Sherrill noted that while forecasts have been somewhat fluid, it appeared at the time of her briefing Friday that North Jersey was likely to see higher snow totals of 12 to 18 inches, while South Jersey could see 12 inches or less. The whole state, however, is expected to see impacts from snow and ice.
As part of Sherrill’s declaration, the State Emergency Operation Center will activate at 6 p.m. Saturday, officials said. Activating the center will allow state leaders to coordinate county and state responses to the storm, and monitor assistance requests around New Jersey.
“This is a good weekend to stay and watch some football, play a board game with your kids, but please stay off the roads on Sunday,” Sherrill said.
SEPTA expects service interruptions during storm Sunday: ‘Bad day to travel’
SEPTA officials gathered at their West Philadelphia depot Friday to unveil plans for this weekend’s winter storm, and demonstrate the machinery they have to battle the snow and ice.
Up to 70% of SEPTA’s workforce will be working Saturday and Sunday to clear travel lanes, keep trains and buses moving, and respond to emergencies. That said, SEPTA expects interruptions to its transit system as there is a lot of work ahead, said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer.
Crews will utilize large blowers, snow throwers, augers, and other pieces of heavy equipment to clear tracks and other critical areas, as well as 6,000 tons of salt to spread at stations and other facilities. SEPTA has 300 parking lots across their five-county service region as well as platforms and customer service areas.
“Extreme weather like this is very hard on our vehicles. As you know, we have the oldest rail fleet in the country. It’s hard on the trains as well as our tracks and other infrastructure,” Sauer said. “I fully expect we will see some equipment problems and need to make emergency repairs, but I am confident that our work crews are ready to handle any issues that come up.”
Blocked rail lines, power interruptions, residential cars blocking travel lanes, and more all contribute to service disruptions, Sauer said. SEPTA stresses that Sunday will be a “bad day to travel,” and to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary.
According to SEPTA, even if snowfall ends on Sunday, don’t expect the transit system to be back to normal by Monday morning.
Edge lights being cleared of snow on a runway at Philadelphia International Airport during a 2010 storm.
A “handful of flights” at Philadelphia International Airport had been cancelled as of Friday afternoon for Saturday and Sunday as the city expected a weekend snowstorm. More cancellations were likely ahead of the start of the storm, said airport spokesperson Heather Redfern via email.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Department of Aviation’s team, and our operations team will be working throughout the weekend to ensure the safe operation of runways, taxiways, roadways and terminals,” she said.
In preparation for the storm, the department’s crews are getting equipment ready to keep runways, taxiways, airport roadways, and sidewalks clear, she said. Deicing airplanes is handled by the airlines.
The airport does not close, she noted, even if flights are canceled by airlines or in the event that the Federation Aviation Administration issues a ground stop.
Travelers who have flights booked for the coming days through the airport should check in with their airlines, the airport advises, to see if their flight has been canceled or if they can reschedule it.
“PHL’s top priority is ensuring the safety of the traveling public and our staff as we work to ensure ongoing operations,” said Redfern.
PennDot says it’s equipped to handle ‘bear’ of a storm
Local PennDot officials said the department’s Philadelphia-area operations are well positioned to deal with the impending winter storm’s impacts, but urged residents to avoid being out and about if possible.
“This storm should be treated by travelers as a potentially serious weather event, and we hope everyone will make the accommodations to avoid travel if possible during this winter storm,” deputy communications director Brad Rudolph at a Friday news conference.
The department has already activated its anti-icing efforts, sending crews out to spray a salt brine mixture on expressways and major roadways to limit or prevent ice accumulation, officials said. In addition, it has access to about 425 trucks for snow clearing work, and has amassed about 70,000 tons of salt for its regional stockpile, Rudolph said.
Though salt is plentiful, officials noted, it is likely to be less effective than usual during this storm because of the low temperatures that are anticipated. Salt is more effective at preventing or melting ice when temperatures are above 20 degrees, and that level of warmth is likely to be in short supply during the storm and in the days after.
“One pound of salt will melt about 46 pounds of ice and snow at 30 degrees,” said PennDot senior district executive for maintenance Tom Rogal. “At 10, 15 degrees, it’s about one pound [of salt] to five pounds [of ice and snow]. So, you can only imagine how much more salt we would have to use.”
Plowing operations are slated to begin once snow begins to fall, and roadways are to be treated throughout the storm until the precipitation moves out and roads are cleared. PennDot, Rogal added, has also brought in additional resources to deal with the storm’s impacts, including more machines used for clearing snow and ice.
Despite the potentially serious impacts of the storm, Rogal said he remained confident PennDot was prepared.
“It’s a bear, but we’re equipped for it,” he said. “We can handle the situation. We’ve done this. Our operators are well-trained, and they take their job very seriously.”
Delaware doesn’t want people sledding down sand dunes
Delaware’s beaches are expecting up to 6 inches of snow.
Delaware beaches may not face as much snow as points north this weekend, but the National Weather Service still expects up to 6 inches of snow, and “very cold, windy conditions” will lash the working, vacation, and retirement communities — and the extensive sand dunes that bracket the area at Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore state parks.
But if that’s the kind of weather warning that gets your winter-sports hopes up, think again. “Do Not Sled or Snowboard on Dunes,” which “contain fragile wildlife habitat and provide protection for the beaches” and nearby neighborhoods, warns the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Indeed, even walking across the shore dunes is prohibited at those parks, except at marked trails and crossings.
In the warning post, Delaware pointed sledders to a list of alternate sites where downhill runs are encouraged. Unfortunately for beach residents and visitors, almost all the officially approved sledding hills in this low-lying state are nearly two hours north, rimming the Brandywine and other streams that flow south from Pennsylvania. At least in the Diamond State, beach snow sports aren’t a thing.
Winter storm warning up, snow totals down slightly
As of Friday afternoon, forecasters expect Philadelphia to receive over 10 inches of snow between Sunday and Monday.
The National Weather Service has added the entire region to a winter-storm warning that now covers about half the country.
While the agency has trimmed back the snow amounts for Philly, it has added more ice, said Nick Guzzo, meteorologist in the Mount Holly office.
The weather service now is calling for 8 to 12 inches of snow for Philadelphia, but has increased ice totals to 0.25 inches as more freezing now is expected.
As of Friday afternoon, ice accumulations around three tenths of an inch are expected in and around Philadelphia, an increase compared to previous forecasts.
Sleet, which counts toward snow totals, and freezing rain are to do mix in Sunday afternoon after several inches of snow have accumulated.
The snow is expected to start in the early-morning hours, and precipitation could flip back to snow early Monday.
The winter storm warning goes into effect at 7 p.m. Saturday and continues through Monday morning.
Whatever falls is likely to stay around for awhile as the coldest weather of the season, perhaps in the last several years, settles over the region.
Philadelphia’s court system will be largely closed Monday due to the impending winter storm, meaning all scheduled trials and other hearings will be rescheduled for other dates.
Emergency services will remain open, the courts said on social media, including arraignment court. And people will still be ale to file emergency protection from abuse petitions at the Stout Center for Criminal Justice.
Vehicle restrictions on Pa. highways will be in effect Sunday
PennDOT is implementing vehicle restrictions beginning midnight Sunday
Starting at midnight on Sunday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will implement vehicle restrictions aimed at limiting the number of cars on roads statewide during the coming winter storm.
PennDot’s vehicle restrictions are instituted in a tiered system, with Sunday’s coming in at tier four — the second-highest level. Under that tier, commercial vehicles are totally prohibited from using a number of interstates around Pennsylvania, as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
“The decision to implement these restrictions was made with the intention of balancing safety for everyone on the roadway, including commercial drivers,” said PennDot secretary Mike Carroll. “We will remove these restrictions as soon as conditions warrant.”
In addition to limiting the travel of vehicles like tractor trailers and commercial buses, PennDot’s restrictions also apply to school buses, motorcycles, RVs, and passenger vehicles that are towing trailers, Carroll added. None of those vehicles, he said, are permitted to use roadways while the restrictions are in place.
“These restrictions aren’t about the quality of the driver,” said Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “These restrictions are about the amount of time it takes for us to clear an incident on one of these roadways. We ask that you please adhere to these restrictions.”
Officials urged motorists to stay home amid the coming storm, noting that the anticipated snowfall rate of one to two inches per hour, as well as the overall snowfall totals, will make keeping roads safe and clear difficult.
Restrictions, PennDot notes online, are evaluated hourly. Pennsylvania’s traveler information website, 511PA, keeps an up to date map of which roads are impacted by the restrictions, and Carroll recommended travelers check that website before heading out, should they absolutely have to.
“Stay home and watch the NFL games, despite the fact that the Eagles and Steelers are not playing,” Carroll said.
Schedule change for two Philly basketball games due to snowstorm
St. Joe’s men’s basketball moved Saturday’s 6 p.m. game against Dayton to 2 p.m. due to the Philly region expecting a major snowstorm this weekend.
With heavy snowfall expected this weekend, two Big 5 basketball programs are moving their tipoff times.
The St. Joseph’s men’s team was slated to take on Davidson at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Hagan Arena. Now, the Hawks will be starting at 2 p.m. to avoid interference with potential snowfall on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Drexel women moved its Sunday matchup against Towson at the Daskalakis Athletic Center to Saturday at 6 p.m., which will now be a homecoming doubleheader with the men’s team, which face Northeastern at 2 p.m.
The women’s team will play back-to-back days, as the Dragons host Stony Brook on Friday night (6 p.m.).
Archdiocesan schools will use a flexible instruction day Monday
All archdiocesan schools in Philadelphia, and all Archdiocese of Philadelphia high schools, including those in suburban counties, will use a flexible instruction day Monday.
Archdiocesan elementary schools in the suburbs typically follow the snow closing decisions of their local school districts, but officials urged parents and students to check with their local school administration for information about Monday.
A pine tree branch leans against power lines on Sout New Street in West Chester on Feb. 5, 2014. An overnight freezing rain storm swept through the region leaving downed trees and power lines in its wake.
Neither sleet nor freezing rain are particularly pleasant forms of precipitation, but in terms of their impacts, they can be very different.
Sleet forms when a partially melted snowflake or rain drop freezes on the way to the ground.. Freezing rain is rain that doesn’t turn to ice until it lands on a surface and freezes on contact.
During a winter storm, both hold down accumulations. Typically, an inch of liquid precipitation can yield a foot of snow. A similar amount of liquid would yield about 4 inches of sleet. Freezing rain, of course, is measured as pure liquid. A quarter-inch is enough to trigger a winter-storm warning.
Both can fall when surface temperatures are well below freezing, if the upper air is warm enough.
Sleet has an endearing quality for the power companies and their customers: It bounces, rather than glooming on to wires.
Freezing rain is a menace to wires and adds weight to snow on tree branches.
In 2014, freezing rain that began 18 hours after a heavy snowfall resulted in Peco’s biggest winter outage total on record, affecting more than 700,000 customers.
In a battle between sleet and freezing rain, you probably should root against the latter.
Assuming that a 100% chance of snow, and everything else, from the winter menu assures that something actually will happen, this would mark the third consecutive weekend with notable precipitation in the region.
Nearly an inch of rain was measured in Philly on Jan. 10, and last Saturday and Sunday several inches of snow accumulated in areas away from the city heat island in separate snow events.
It’s not like the atmosphere particularly cares about our weekend plans.
It is not uncommon for snow and rain to show up on the same days of the week over periods of several weeks.
That’s the result of the typical spacing between weather systems as they move across the country, meteorologists say.
Sometimes, that keeps happening in 3- to 3½-day intervals — until it doesn’t.
But not to get too far ahead of ourselves, another threat may be brewing for next weekend.
SEPTA buses, trolleys and trains will also be impacted by the snowstorm.
Philadelphians can expect SEPTA service disruptions as a result of the storm.
“Significant accumulations of snow and ice are likely to create unsafe conditions, both on the roads and the rails, and we’ll be making adjustments,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer.
“Customers should expect impacts to bus, trolley, and regional rail service.”
Sauer said SEPTA lines will operate for as long as it’s safe to do so and it will try to announce any service shutdowns two hours in advance when possible.
For essential workers who are required to commute Sunday, Sauer said the Broad Street Line and Market Frankford Line are the most reliable. Those lines are easier to keep open because large chunks of the rail are underground and the elevated tracks can be kept clear with frequent service, he said.
While inconvenient, suspending service before the height of the storm will ensure no one is stranded and no equipment is damaged, said Sauer.
Sauer warned it may take a few days to get service back to normal and reminded people to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary during the height of the storm.
Philly residents can be fined for not shoveling snow
Philadelphia Zoo workers shovel snow on the sidewalks earlier this month.
More than 1000 workers are helping treat the streets and roads of Philadelphia, said Director of the Office of Clean and Green Carlton Williams.
Williams said workers are scheduled to work around the clock with 600 pieces of equipment and 30,000 tons of salt at the ready to make roads passable.
But he reiterated that residents bear some responsibility as well, reminding people that tickets will be issued for untreated sidewalks. They’ll have six hours to shovel after the storm and failing to do so could lead up to a $300 fine.
“We expect our residents to be out there, because, again, this is a safety issue,” said Williams. “If that becomes frozen or we can’t get access to someone because sidewalks aren’t shoveled that’s a problem for our emergency responders.”
City warming centers to remain open during snowstorm
Crystal Yates-Galle, Deputy Managing Director for Health and Human Services, said the city’s warming centers will continue to remain open during this storm as part of the ongoing Code Blue declaration, which allows the city to also add shelter beds to the system.
Warming centers are located at select libraries during the daytime from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
From 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., select recreation centers will act as warming centers.
The need is already proving to be great. The city reached capacity at four of its five warming centers Thursday, Yates-Gale said, but plans to open more as needed.
Shelter beds are also at capacity, though the city plans to add another 150 beds throughout the system within the next two weeks.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel said his department would be working with outreach workers to connect homeless people to city services during the snow emergency.
Monday will be a full snow day, but if schools need to remain closed Tuesday and beyond, students have Chromebooks and will turn to remote learning until it’s safe to return.
“We’re inviting students and staff to enjoy this snowfall, which will be the most I’ve seen during my nearly four years here in Philadelphia,” Watlington said.
‘Your cars will be towed’: City officials warn residents about snow parking
A Philadelphia Parking Authority truck tows a car from South Broad Street, a snow emergency route.
Regardless of how much snow Philly gets, the roads are a major concern for city officials.
Illegal parking, especially on narrow residential streets, is a focus for officials.
The city has been treating roads since Wednesday, according to Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green.
But in order for plow operations to flow smoothly, Williams said residents would need to avoid parking in front of fire hydrants and blocking corners.
“Do not park on designated snow emergency routes,” said Williams.
“Your cars will be towed, snow emergency routes are necessary for our emergency responders to get to a location as quickly as possible and park cars impede that process.”
To help clear those emergency routes, the Philadelphia Parking Authority will institute $5 flat rate parking beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday at any of its lots.
Philly trash and recycling collection suspended Monday, delayed rest of the week
Heavy snow will impact trash collection services in Philly.
Trash and recycling collection will be suspended across Philadelphia Monday, the city announced in a news conference Friday.
Collection days for the rest of the week will be pushed back a day, and residents are asked to hold their trash and recycling until the next day.
“There will be no two-day-a-week trash collection in those neighborhoods who receive that service.” said Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives.
Due to the amount of snow forecast, Williams asked residents with driveway collection to bring trash out to the street or use the drop off center, due to plowing issues.
Parker declares snow emergency in Philly beginning Saturday night
A plow truck drives along Reservoir Drive in Fairmount Park in February 2025.
With more than a foot of snow possible this weekend, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced a snow emergency would go into effect Saturday at 9 p.m.
“We hope you will help us by keeping our roadways as free as possible of any vehicles that don’t necessarily need to be parked there,” Parker said at a news conference Friday, warning roads would be “hazardous” Sunday.
“Please take this storm seriously,” Parker said. “Limit unnecessary travel once conditions worsen, and if you must be out, give yourself extra time, drive slowly and stay off the roads if conditions become hazardous, so our crews and first responders can do their jobs safely.”
Crews have already begin brining city streets, and while the focus will be on the city’s major roadways, Parker pledged to also get to residential streets as soon as possible.
“We will make every effort to get to every primary, secondary and tertiary street in the city of Philadelphia,” Parker said. “That is our standard.”
Forecasters expect about 13 inches of snow to accumulate in and around Philadelphia through Monday.
Love it or hate it, more snow than Philly has seen in a long time is all but certain this weekend.
Forecasters continue to predict as much as 18 inches of snow could fall in and around Philadelphia beginning Saturday night, which would mark the city’s first double-digit snowfall in a decade, almost to the day.
The situation is so serious, former NBC10 meteorologist Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz has come out of retirement and is doing forecasts on TikTok.
“It’s going to be a historic storm,” Schwartz predicted Thursday night.
At this point, the only thing that might keep down the snow totals is a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain, which could fall during peak portions of the storm Sunday. Even so, precipitation is expected to shift fully back to all snow by Sunday night, with an additional inch or two likely before the storm moves through.
When it’s all said and done, forecasters predict about 13 inches of snow will have fallen in Philadelphia.
Officially, a winter storm watch is in effect for the region beginning 7 p.m. Saturday through 1 p.m. Monday. With temperatures expected to plummet Friday night (along with wind chills between -10° and 0°), a cold weather advisory is also in effect through Saturday morning.
Philly-area schools prepare for closures that could last multiple days
Cheltenham School District warned parents buildings could be closed multiple days if “conditions are significant enough.”
Ahead of the impending snowstorm, some Philadelphia area school districts are sharing plans for closures — maybe for multiple days.
In Upper Darby, school officials told families Thursday night to prepare for the prospect of virtual instruction Monday, and possibly Tuesday.
“If the weather is more significant than anticipated and there are power outages in the area, we will shift to a snow day,” with no virtual school, Superintendent Daniel McGarry said in the message.
In the Cheltenham School District, Superintendent Brian Scriven told families that “if weather conditions require us to close schools and offices,” the district will have a traditional snow day Monday. Tuesday is to be determined – and Wednesday could be virtual instruction, “If conditions are significant enough,” Scriven said.
Maps: How much snow and sleet could fall across the Philly region
Snow near Poplar Drive and Girard Avenue in Philadelphia earlier this month.
Official National Weather Service forecasts say 12 to 18 inches of snow is possible across most of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia as the storm pushes through the region Saturday night to early Monday morning. More than 21 states were expected to experience at least moderate impacts from the storm, the weather service said.
The National Weather Service puts out forecasts for every few square miles of land in the United States four times a day through a system called the National Digital Forecast Database.
The map below displays that data. Use it to find how much snow is expected anywhere in the eastern United States. It will always show the most recent forecast for the next three days.
(function () {window.addEventListener(‘message’, function (e) { var message = e.data; var els = document.querySelectorAll(‘iframe[src*=”‘ + message.id + ‘”]’); els.forEach(function(el) { el.style.height = message.height + ‘px’; }); }, false); })();
(function () {window.addEventListener(‘message’, function (e) { var message = e.data; var els = document.querySelectorAll(‘iframe[src*=”‘ + message.id + ‘”]’); els.forEach(function(el) { el.style.height = message.height + ‘px’; }); }, false); })();
The timing and duration of precipitation aren’t among the strong suits of computer models.
The weather service’s winter storm watch, which covers the entire region, all of Delaware, and most of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Monday.
The daytime Saturday “looks fine if you have to get out,” said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.
The weather service is listing the likeliest starting time as the early morning hours of Sunday, with snow likely into the early morning hours of Monday.
Sunday is going to be one of the colder days of the winter with temperatures in the teens and lower 20s. The weather service introduces the possibility of freezing rain and sleet by 1 p.m., with a forecast temperature of 19 degrees.
Wintry mix could limit snow totals. It’s a real Philadelphia tradition.
Sleet and freezing rain could mix with snow in Philly this weekend.
One thing arguing against mega-snow totals this weekend along I-95 and South Jersey is the likelihood sleet and freezing rain would mix with the snow at the height of the storm’s impacts.
That’s part of the cost of doing business in Philly winters.
Our biggest snows typically come from coastal nor’easters, so-named for their onshore winds the import warm air off the Atlantic to the upper atmosphere, the sources of precipitation. Sea-surface temperatures off Atlantic City are in the upper 30s.
The warmth above changes the snow to rain that freezes on contact when it reaches a cold surface, a sidewalk, or street, or windshield. Or precipitation becomes sleet, liquid that becomes a ball of ice before it reaches the surface.
Storms that are purely snow are the exception in the Philly area, says Ray Kruzdlo, the hydrologist at the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly.
One of American history’s most famous wintry mixes accompanied the Continental Army’s surprise invasion of the Hessians in Trenton in 1776 during the American Revolution. After crossing the Delaware on Christmas night, diary accounts tell of Gen. George Washington led his troops through a nasty wintry mix.
Conversely, Thomas Jefferson, 150 miles from the ocean in western Virginia, measured more than 20 inches of snow.
One of the more notable busts occurred in January 2015 when forecasts called for an I-95 East Coast snowstorm so ferocious that the mayor of New York imposed a curfew.
His boss at the time, weather service head Louis Uccellini, said no apology was necessary: Science has its limits. Busts have been known to happen in the battle of science against nonlinear.
This time around, meteorologists are all but certain something “impactful” is going to happen.
Ray Kruzdlo, the staff hydrologist in the weather service office, said the slim chance of this storm “not being significant is leaving us.”
