The coldest air of the year will arrive in central Pa. this weekend, just as Penn State fans gather outside for the first round of the College Football Playoffs in State College.
On top of that, the game Saturday coincides with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, when the Earth’s axis reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun.
Fans heading to the game should be prepared: Dress in layers, including a solid coat or windbreaker, definitely wear a hat and gloves, and consider bringing a blanket or hand warmers.
Temperatures will start dropping Wednesday afternoon with rain expected. The rain will transition into “snow showers and patchy freezing drizzle” Thursday morning. Thursday night should be dry but dreary with evening temperatures around the 20s and low clouds, which will cause some reduced visibility, according to the National Weather Service.
Friday could bring light snow or snow showers to the area mainly after 1 p.m. with temperatures around 35. Meteorologists are predicting a snow accumulation of less than a half inch.
After that, “it will be very cold, with maxes only in the 20s to low 30s,” the National Weather Service reported.
The cold temperatures will “cool the ground enough to allow any snow that falls on Friday to stick to untreated or elevated surfaces,” the National Weather Service said.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson said this will be the coldest air of the season so far from late Friday to Sunday.
“Fans heading to football games in State College, Pennsylvania, South Bend, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio, should be bundled up and prepared for freezing temperatures and gusty winds Friday and Saturday,” AccuWeather reported.
Although temperatures will continue to drop on Saturday to the teens and mid 20s, skies will be partially sunny, NWS meteorologist reported.
But the sun will be limited, as Saturday will be the shortest day of the year.
“After Dec. 21, the days will grow longer, and the sun intensity will be stronger, slowly at first, and then more dramatically as we get closer to the spring equinox around March 21,” AccuWeather Founder and Executive Chairman Dr. Joel Myers said.
Even colder conditions are expected to arrive Sunday as the arctic high builds over Northwestern Pennsylvania during the evening, producing single digits temperatures Monday morning.
Monday morning, it should warm up to 26 degrees and sunny skies. Despite the colder air temps, wind levels will be on the lighter side, meteorologist said. The temperature will drop again Monday evening around 16 degrees.
Here’s the forecast for the next few days:
Tonight
A chance of rain before 8pm, then a chance of showers between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with a high near 37.
Friday
Cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 28.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 23.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 26.
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