Forecast calls for warm, dry weather when pope is in town

AccuWeather has come out with its fall forecast that includes Philadelphia’s papal weekend.

The weather word is warm, said Accu-Weather senior meteorologist Bob Smerbeck.

“Temperatures overall for September, October and November will be running above normal and precipitation slightly below normal, so that is the flavor that we see for the fall,” he said.

Pope Francis will be in town Sept. 25 and 26. Looking at those dates, current indications suggest it may be a jacket-free Mass for the more than a million expected to congregate on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

“Average high temperatures at the end of the month are about 72 for the high, 54 for the low,” Smerbeck said. “So even if we were running a little above average, it would probably still be pretty comfortable.”

As the calendar turns toward winter, Smerbeck said there is a possibility of snow after the first of the year due to the El Niño weather pattern  — if it hovers over the region.