February 12, 2017
Property owners and construction site managers were urged Sunday to take precautions ahead of the tropical storm-force winds expected Monday in the Philadelphia region.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued a wind advisory from midnight to 6 p.m. Monday.
Winds from Kennett Square in Chester County to Philadelphia to Trenton, are expected in the 20 to 30-mph range with gusts as high as 50 mph, forecasters said. The strongest gusts are most likely from overnight to midday Monday. The winds out of the northwest will gradually weaken during the afternoon but strong gusts are still possible into the evening hours.
There is the potential for winds to blow down tree limbs, even trees, as well as power lines. Scattered power outages are expected.
Forecasters urged homeowners to secure lightweight outdoor objects such as patio furniture and garbage cans.
David Perri, commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of License and Inspections, urged construction sites to take appropriate safety measures and secure loose materials, especially those on the upper floors of buildings under construction. Temporary fencing, signage and tarps at constructions sites must be lashed or otherwise secured, he said.
"These winds can cause unsecured objects to become airborne," he said in a statement, "and are powerful enough to cause isolated structural damage to buildings."
Such winds can can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, forecasters cautioned.
Here's the seven-day forecast for Philadelphia from the weather service:
Tonight: A chance of rain before 7pm, then a slight chance of showers between 7pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Windy, with a west wind 7 to 17 mph increasing to 19 to 29 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 49 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Windy, with a northwest wind 24 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph.
Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Northwest wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Southwest wind 6 to 8 mph.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Southwest wind around 6 mph.
Wednesday: A slight chance of rain and snow before 9 a.m., then a slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.
Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.
Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.
