A winter storm dumped 14 inches of snow on Philadelphia, marking the city’s largest single-day snowfall in a decade and ranking as the 17th-largest storm in recorded history, officials said Monday.
The total, measured at Philadelphia International Airport, surpassed any single-day accumulation since 2016. Snowfall amounts in surrounding suburbs and parts of southern New Jersey reached as much as 20 inches.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker declared a snow emergency as more than 800 plows worked to clear roughly 2,500 miles of city streets. By Monday afternoon, many secondary roads remained difficult to navigate, and officials urged residents to stay home to allow crews to continue clearing operations.
“It is a day for neighbors to look out for neighbors,” Parker said at a news briefing. “The scale of this event is historic, and our response must be equally robust.”
The storm knocked out power to more than 130,000 customers across the region as heavy, wet snow brought down tree limbs and power lines. City officials reported damage to at least 87 trees within Philadelphia.
Public transportation was also affected. SEPTA suspended most Regional Rail service, though the Broad Street and Market-Frankford subway lines continued operating.
Forecasters said temperatures are expected to rise above freezing Tuesday, which could accelerate melting. However, officials warned that overnight lows near 20 degrees could create hazardous black ice as slush refreezes.