Updates on January 24th Snow Emergency

According to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, a Winter Storm Warning is still effect from 2 a.m. Sunday, January 25 through 1 p.m. on Monday, January 26, with hazardous travel conditions, gusty winds, below-freezing temperatures, and potential icing through next week. Conditions could lead to delays, closures, and disruptions throughout the city.

A snow emergency was declared on January 24, 2026, at 9 p.m. and is still in effect. (Last updated Monday, 1/26 @ 12 p.m.)

A Snow Emergency means all parked vehicles must be moved off snow emergency routesfor 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, call 215-686-SNOW (7669), and press option 4, to find it. DO NOT call 911.

As part of Mayor's Parker's vision for clean, green, and safe streets her directive is that tertiary and residential streets be treated earlier than in storms past. Residential streets are being serviced along with primary and secondary roads to ensure 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 hoursof the end of the storm.

• Clear snow from neighborhood sewer drainsto 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 alertsor customize free text and email alerts by visiting the Office of Emergency Management's website at www.phila.gov/ready.

PlowPHL

Residents can use PlowPHL, an interactive map, to track and monitor the status of the City's plowing and salting operations. PlowPHL is the fourth and final web mapping tool on the StreetSmartPHLplatform.

Sanitation and Recycling Collections

Due to the amount of snow accumulation expected, Sanitation crews and equipment will be diverted to snow operations. All trash and recycling collections will be suspended on Monday, January 26. Collections will be one day behindfor the remainder of the week.

• 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.

• As significant snow accumulations are expected with this snow event, the collection schedule may change. Continuation of trash and recycling collections will be contingent on how the storm and plowing operations have progressed.

• 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 only throughout the week.

The Philadelphia Water Department

With extended periods of below-freezing temperatures in the forecast, the Philadelphia Water Departmentis 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 Pipesfrom 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. In addition, customers can visit peco.com/alertsto sign up to receive updates on their energy usage and information regarding 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 also report power outages to peco.com/outages, or bytexting "ADDOUTAGE" to MYPECO (697326), to enroll in our two-way texting program to report outages and check the status of their outage.

311 Call Center:

The Philly 311 Call Centerwill be operating throughout the storm. Residents should be aware that 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 portal, the app, an email [email protected], and phone (311); however, we recommend using the app since you can share pictures.

Homeless Outreach and Warming Centers throughout the city

Given the ongoing below freezing temperatures, the Office of Homeless Servicesis operating in Enhanced Code Blue status. It remains 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 sheltersand may remain indoors throughout the duration of the Code Blue. Outreach is available 24/7. For more information about how the City of Philadelphia helps people who are unshelteredduring freezing temperatures.

Call (215) 232-1984 at the Office of Homeless Services to get help for someone living or sleeping outdoors.

Warming Centers: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 Monday, January 26, 2026. Patients who have appointments for that day will be contacted by Health Center staff to reschedule those appointments.

SEPTA

Service on Regional Rail remains suspended. Crews continue to work on restoring service as we hope to resume some midday service today. All Regional Rail trains will operate on a Saturday schedule for Monday only.

Busservice remains suspended on specified routes. Crews are working to gradually restore service for today on a route-by-route basis as surface conditions improve.

Service on theBis operating with delays of up to 20 minutes due to weather conditions and operator unavailability. Express service will not operate. The Ttrolleys will be on planned diversion to 40th and Market until further noticed. The T Shuttle bus will operate during this outage period; riders should continue to use the T Bus Schedules for bus times. Some service remains suspended. Crews are working to gradually restore service. Gservice remains suspended. Crews are working to gradually restore service for today.Shuttle buses are running in place of trolleys on the D1 and D2.

For more info, and the latest updates visit https://wwww.septa.org/news/weather/

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, 2026, vehicles illegally parked on snow emergency routeswill 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 for 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.

• 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.)

To receive the temporary $5 rate, customers must bring their ticket and pay at the PPA Management Office in each garage.

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 at phl.org. The airport has snow removal and deicing operations planned for the duration of the event.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

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. In the event that 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.

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.orgfor 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, 2026.

School District of Philadelphia

All District schools and Central Offices will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026.  All after-school activities, including all athletic programs and professional development sessions scheduled for Friday, are canceled as well. All District early childhood centers will also be closed.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Archdiocesan high schools and parochial elementary schools in the City of Philadelphia will utilize a flexible instruction day on Monday, January 26, 2026.

Pet Safety Awareness

Residents should contact the ACCT Philly hotline (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.