Philadelphia gears up for latest snow fight

The city of Philadelphia is once again ready to do battle with Mother Nature — and all the snow and ice that are expected to pummel the region Thursday.Officials plan to deploy more than 700 workers to clear away the snow and put every available piece of equipment on the streets to aid in that effort, said Mayor Michael Nutter during a Wednesday news conference on storm preparations.

 “We’ve been through a record-breaking season so far, and we will continue to fight this storm as we have all winter,” he said. “We will do everything we can to get our streets as clear as possible, as quickly as possible.

“But I want to ask for your patience and understanding,” Nutter continued. “Our troops are out there and they will continue to work until the work is done.”

The city has all the salt it needs to keep the streets clear, he said.

“Weather is one of the most unpredictable circumstances in life. We will do our best, not only in our preparations and in our efforts, but when all is said and done,” he said. “We don’t know until it happens what the weather is going to throw at us, and then we adjust to it.”

Beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday, a snow emergency declaration will be in place, Nutter said, and the city will ticket and tow cars on snow emergency routes. Property owners must shovel a 3-foot path within six hours after the storm ends.

Philadelphia public schools and Archdiocesan high schools and Catholic elementary schools are closed tomorrow.