The snow emergency has been lifted as of 3 p.m. on February 7, 2021. The Streets Department will continue salting and plowing until roads are made passable for safe traveling. Parking is now permitted again along snow emergency routes.

With another storm approaching, Managing Director Tumar Alexander announced that a Snow Emergency will be declared for the City of Philadelphia beginning at 6 a.m., Sunday, February 7.

The forecast is calling for a winter storm on Sunday, February 7. The current forecast is for significant snow with a total of 3 – 6 inches of accumulations expected across the city. Heavy, wet snow is expected.

Crews will continue snow operations until all conditions are safe for travel; however, this storm is expected to bring heavy snow and high winds. Residents should be mindful of fallen tree limbs and possible power and signal outages. Our goal is to make roads passable and return the city back to normal operations as quickly as possible.

The Plan: In preparation for the latest snow event, the Streets Department will have a full deployment of equipment and employees. The Department will mobilize over 400 pieces of equipment including support from City agencies and contractors. Crews have been brining since Saturday. The Streets Department has 35,000 tons of salt available.

Snow emergency routes, primary roads, and secondary roads will be serviced first to allow for safe passage. Residential streets will be treated after the primary and secondary roads are safe to travel. 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.

At this time, the snow event is not expected to interfere with City operations on Monday.

Reminders for residents

  • Move your vehicle before 6 a.m. on February 7 if it is parked on a Snow Emergency route.
  • Do not shovel or plow snow into the street. This practice is illegal, unsafe and hinders snow operations.
  • 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.
  • Motorists should allow extra time, exercise patience and maintain safe driving distances.

Snow Emergency routes and vehicles

Vehicles left on snow emergency routes will be moved to other parking spots to assist in snow plowing operations. 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 car is moved from a snow emergency route, call 215-686-SNOW (7669), and press option 4, to find it. Do NOT call 911.

Sanitation and Recycling Collections

Due to the amount of snow accumulations expected, Sanitation crews and equipment will be diverted to snow operations. There will be trash collection on Monday, February 8, but residents should expect delays as crews navigate through the snow.

There will be no collections in rear driveways for Monday. Residents must place their materials in the front of their homes at the curb for pickup. We want to prevent Sanitation trucks from getting stuck in compacted snow in the driveways.

A decision on the rest of the week’s collections will be made early Monday based on how the storm and plowing operations have progressed. Sanitation Convenience Centers will be open for regular hours, Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Homeless Outreach 

If you are concerned about someone who is homeless, please call Homeless Outreach at 215-232-1984 at any time. Outreach is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. First responders can also transport people to shelter for their own safety. Review the Safer Shelter Initiative to learn how City-funded, privately operated shelters keep residents and staff safe.

SEPTA

SEPTA will post real-time travel updates at septa.org and @SEPTA on Twitter.

Pet Safety Awareness

Residents should contact the ACCT Philly hotline (267-385-3800 ext. 1) if they observe 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.

Fallen Trees

The Department of Parks & Recreation reminds residents that 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 they 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 Philly311.

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—phl.org. The airport has brined onsite roadways, with snow removal and deicing operations planned for the duration of the event.