This nor’easter means more preparation, and more cancellations
SEPTA is urging customers to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel. Hundreds of Wednesday flights from Philadelphia cancelled.
Snow falls on the La Salle University campus in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
- City of Philadelphia’s official winter storm preparations.
- SEPTA’s winter storm service information.
- PATCO travel alerts.
Updated: 8:30 p.m.
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It may technically be spring, but winter has the region tightly in its icy grasp. The fourth nor’easter in three weeks is making its way to the East Coast, and the region started taking precautions Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Southeastern Pennsylvania through 2 a.m. Thursday. Officials predict a total snow accumulation of up to 18 inches for some parts of the region and some ice accumulation.
All Philadelphia public schools, administrative offices and early childhood centers will be closed Wednesday. Philadelphia Archdiocesan high schools and parochial elementary schools also will be closed.
Airlines have already canceled thousands of flights ahead of the storm bearing down on the Northeast.
Wednesday flight cancellations mounted at airports from Washington to Boston, with more than 350 at Philadelphia International Airport.
On the ground, Amtrak is scaling back service along the Northeast corridor Wednesday, while Pennsylvania is banning certain kinds of commercial vehicles from major highways.
SEPTA’s warnings are par for the course; it’s almost as if we’ve been here before.
Plan ahead, SEPTA officials advised. Avoid unnecessary travel as delays and cancellations are bound to happen throughout Wednesday. Officials are already predicting delays and modifying transit schedules.
Here’s what we know so far:
The Broad Street and Market-Frankfort lines will be running 24 hours with trains every 20 minutes.
There will be no overnight Nite Owl bus service.
Regional rail will operate on a severe storm service plan — in other words, trains will operate on a Saturday schedule. Here’s more information.
PATCO will also be running on a storm schedule starting at midnight Tuesday with all local stops (no express trains), with six-car trains all day. For more updated information, visit PATCO.org.
Officials are predicting delays and cancellations on the Norristown High Speed Line in case of heavy snow accumulation; the line is expected to operate every 20 minutes.
Trolley and bus schedules may be affected. For a full list and updated information, visit SEPTA.org.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
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