The Philadelphia region has experienced approximately 9.1 inches of total snowfall, along with sleet, ice, and freezing rain, all within a span of less than 12 hours. That’s the most snow we have experienced in Philadelphia in 10 years.Expect hazardous travel conditions, gusty winds, below-freezing temperatures, and potential icing through next week. These conditions could lead to delays, closures, and disruptions throughout the city.
A Snow Emergency is still in effect
A Snow Emergency means all parked vehicles must be moved off snow emergency routes for plowing. When moving your car, park as far from the corner of the street as possible. Vehicles parked too close to the corner get in the way of snowplows trying to turn corners. If your vehicle was relocated from a snow emergency route, you can find it by calling (215) 686-SNOW (7669), and pressing option 4. DO NOT call 911.
As part of Mayor’s Parker’s vision for clean, green, and safe streets, she has directed that tertiary and residential streets be treated earlier than in past snow storms. Residential streets are being serviced along with primary and secondary roads to make sure all roads are safe to travel citywide. Our goal is to make roads passable and return the city back to normal operations as quickly as possible. This does not mean roads will be completely clear of snow and ice, but made passable for safe traveling.
City officials strongly encourage people to stay home and off the roads as much as possible. The frigid temperatures and cold ground will make it easy for snow to accumulate and cause slippery travel on untreated roadways. Reminders for residents:
- Do not shovel or plow snow into the street. This practice is illegal, unsafe and hinders snow operations. The penalty for violating this can range from $50 to $300 for each violation.
- Keep fire hydrants clear. Shovel 36 -60 inches around your block’s hydrant so firefighters can gain access safely during an emergency response.
- Clear a sidewalk path at least 36 inches wide within six hours of the end of the storm.
- Clear snow from neighborhood sewer drains to allow melting snow to drain.
- Allow extra time if you have to drive; exercise patience and maintain safe driving distances.
- Check in on your neighbors, especially those at risk.
Residents can sign up for free emergency alerts and weather updates from ReadyPhiladelphia by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 for free phone alerts. Or, customize free text and email alerts by signing up for emergency alerts online.
Service updates
PlowPHL
Residents can use PlowPHL, an interactive map, to track and monitor the status of the City’s plowing and salting operations. PlowPHL is a web mapping tool on the StreetSmartPHL platform.
Trash and recycling collections
Sanitation crews and equipment will be diverted to snow operations. All trash and recycling collections are canceled on Monday, January 26. Trash and recycling collections will be one day behind for the rest of the week. We thank residents for their cooperation. We ask residents for their continued patience as crews navigate through the snow, ice and frigid temperatures.
- As an alternative, residents may drop off their materials at the City’s Sanitation Convenience Centers, which are open for regular hours, Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Residents can track the progress of collections on StreetSmartPHL by clicking the PickupPHL tab.
- There will be no collections in rear driveways. Residents are instructed to set their materials out in front of their homes for pickup during the week of January 26. With the expectation of significant snow accumulation and severe cold and ice, there is an increased risk of Sanitation trucks becoming stuck in the snow in rear driveways.
- Second trash collection is suspended in areas of the city that typically receive it during the week of January 26. There will be one collection for trash and recycling throughout the week.
Philadelphia Water Department
With extended periods of below-freezing temperatures in the forecast, the Philadelphia Water Department is deploying additional staff for emergency preparedness and to increase response to reported leaks, water main repairs, and other weather-related issues.
Customers should report leaks in the street to the Water Department’s 24/7 emergency hotline, (215) 685-6300. Repairs that restore water to customers and protect public safety are a priority.
The forecasted weather can lead to frozen or burst pipes in homes. Pipes are most at risk of freezing or bursting when the temperature does not go above freezing for 72 hours or longer. If a resident experiences a loss of water and suspects a water main break, they should first check with nearby neighbors. If others on the block still have water, the issue is likely frozen pipes in the home, and the resident may need to contact a plumber. Tips to avoid frozen pipes include:
- Let a faucet run at a trickle overnight during extremely cold weather.
- Keep the area around a water meter above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cover and drafty or cracked windows near exposed pipes.
- Check water faucets for water flow and pressure before retiring for the night and again in the morning. The first sign of freezing is reduced water flow from a faucet.
If you have had frozen pipes before or have exposed pipes in an area you cannot keep above 40F, let your faucet run at a trickle overnight when temperatures are below freezing for two days or more. Read all about frozen pipes from the Philadelphia Water Department.
Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW)
The 24-hour Emergency Hotline will remain open for emergency calls. At any time, all gas leaks or gas-related emergencies should be immediately reported by calling (215) 235-1212.
PECO
While PECO works to prevent as many outages as possible, severe storms can cause damage and power outages. Customers can act now to prepare for severe weather by visiting peco.com/storm. You can also visit peco.com/alerts to sign up to get updates on your energy usage and information about power outages via text, email, or phone (including when power is out, when service is expected to be restored, or when power is restored.)
Customers can report power outages to peco.com/outages or by texting “ADDOUTAGE” to MYPECO (697326), to enroll in two-way texting to report outages and check the status of an outage.
311 Call Center
Requests will be processed when the snow operation is completed. Any inquiries made throughout the storm will be in a queue and addressed in order. Servicing complaints while crew members are continuously working will cause disruptions and delays in the operation. Philly 311 will contact the appropriate service department, and after a reasonable amount of time, residents will receive confirmation that their issue has been addressed.
Residents can make requests or report a problem via: the online portal, the mobile app, an email to philly311@phila.gov, or phone call (311). We recommend using the app so that you can share pictures with your report.
Homeless outreach & warming centers
With below freezing temperatures, the Office of Homeless Services is operating in Enhanced Code Blue status, which will remain in effect until further notice. During this Enhanced Code Blue, Philadelphia’s homeless outreach teams will continue to patrol the streets with greater urgency, encouraging people experiencing homelessness to come indoors and avoid prolonged exposure to the elements amid dangerously cold temperatures. People do not need ID to enter shelters and can stay indoors throughout the duration of the Code Blue. Outreach is available 24/7. Find more information about how the City of Philadelphia helps people who are unsheltered during freezing temperatures.
In addition to the shelter system, more than a dozen warming centers throughout the city are available to anyone— including people who are housed but may have experienced a power outage, flooding from burst frozen pipes, or have little to no heat. All are welcome. A frequently updated map and list is available at phila.gov/GetWarm.
Philadelphia Department of Public Health
All City Health Centers will be closed on Tuesday, January 27. Patients who have appointments for that day will be contacted by Health Center staff to reschedule their appointments.
SEPTA
- All Metro is restored following a Monday schedule.
- Bus service is being restored line-by-line as conditions allow. Please check your individual route status at SEPTA.org/alerts for details.
- Regional Rail service will resume the morning of Tuesday, the 27th and will follow a Saturday schedule.
Get the latest updates from SEPTA.
Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA)
During the snow emergency, the PPA will enforce all snow emergency and safety violations. Meters, and time limit violations on residential blocks will not be enforced until the snow emergency is lifted.
Beginning at 9 p.m. January 24, vehicles illegally parked on snow emergency routes will be subject to ticketing and towing. If your vehicle is towed during the snow emergency, please call the city’s snow emergency line at (215) 686-SNOW or visit the PPA’s website to find its location.
PPA is offering a flat 24-hour $5 parking rate at the following Center City parking lots until the snow emergency is lifted. To get the temporary $5 rate, customers must bring their ticket and pay at the PPA Management Office in each garage.
- AutoPark at Independence Mall (5th & Market Streets)
- AutoPark at Jefferson (10th & Ludlow Streets)
- AutoPark at the Fashion District (10th & Filbert Streets)
- AutoPark at Old City (2nd & Sansom Streets)
- Parkade on 8th (801 Filbert Street)
- Philadelphia Family Court Garage (1503-11 Arch Street – Going south on 15th Street, enter the garage on the west side just after 15th & Cherry St.)
PHL International Airport
Travelers and those picking up travelers are encouraged to check their flight status and road conditions before leaving for the airport on Sunday. Call your airline, get updates at 1-800-PHL-GATE (745-4283), or check the PHL International Airport website. The airport has snow removal and deicing operations planned for the duration of the event.
Downed Trees
If a tree falls during a storm and it’s blocking a road, or it has fallen on a house, car or other property, call 911. A crew of arborists from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation are on-call to respond to tree emergencies and will come out to remove the hazard and any part of the tree that is an immediate risk to public safety. Other parts of the tree that don’t pose an immediate risk (such as tree trunks and stumps) will be removed at a later time so crews can focus on other safety hazards around the city during extreme weather events. If a tree has fallen on electrical wires, please call PECO’s emergency line: 1 (800) 841-4141. For other non-emergency downed trees, residents can submit a request through Philly 311. Learn more about how to report downed trees.
Free Libraries
Several Free Library locations will be serving as warming centers only on Sunday, January 25. The locations that will be open are Northeast Regional, Blackwell Regional (West), Nicetown-Tioga, South Philadelphia, and Parkway Central Library. We will be monitoring capacity for library service and serving as warming centers for Monday. Check the locations page on freelibrary.org for hour-by-hour updates.
City Offices and Courts
City of Philadelphia administrative office buildings and courts will be closed to the public on Monday January 26 and Tuesday 27.
School District of Philadelphia
All School District of Philadelphia schools and offices will operate virtually Tuesday, January 27.
Get the latest updates from the School District of Philadelphia.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Archdiocesan high schools and parochial elementary schools in the City of Philadelphia will utilize a flexible instruction day on Tuesday, January 27. Students and parents should refer to their local school website and look for updates from their local school administration for further details.
Department of Prisons
Due to the winter storm, in-person visitations of incarcerated individuals have been canceled at all Philadelphia Department of Prisons facilities on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
Pet safety awareness
Residents should contact the ACCT Philly hotline at (267) 385-3800 ext. 1 if they see a dog outside during extreme cold (aside from bathroom breaks and short walks). It is against City ordinance to leave dogs outside in extreme cold without proper shelter, and owners can be fined up to $500.
