January 23, 2026
@LVwithLove/X
During a snowstorm in November 2018, a truck stopped on the side of Route 309, near Sellersville, Montgomery Couty, because the driver couldn't get a trailer carrying a camel up a hill. The 'snow camel' sighting became one of many memorable winter moments in the Philly area over the years.
All signs point to the Philadelphia region getting pummeled this weekend with its biggest snowstorm in about a decade.
Putting aside that it's a nightmare to deal with, winter weather has been a fertile source of humor in the area over the years. It brings out the maniacs in us and sometimes gifts us moments that become immortalized.
MORE: Here's a look back at Philly's biggest snowfalls of the last 30 years
So as the city hunkers down for another snowmageddon, here's a look back at five of the area's best snow memories.
This will never get old. Veteran FOX29 reporter Steve Keeley, one of the most intrepid dudes in the business, was covering an early March snowstorm in 2014. Reporting from Route 40 in rural Woodstown, Salem County, Keeley walked viewers through the typical spiel about tough driving conditions and broke out a random fact about the only Phillies player — Hilly Flitcraft — to ever come from Woodstown.
During Keeley's report, a series of plows approached behind him on Route 40 — about 20 feet away. The first two passed by without incident. The third rumbled much closer to Keeley, sending a curtain of snow right into his back as his colleagues in the studio shrieked. Keeley managed to keep his feet and carried on without a hitch.
"That is the beauty of breaking news," Keeley said.
Later on, from the FOX29 studio, Keeley mused, "Ever since the invention of YouTube, I have done everything I could to avoid being a YouTube star, and I think that hit will be on YouTube."
Somewhere out there, the person who drove that plow probably delights in telling the story to friends and family.
During a snowstorm in late December 2010, about 5 inches of snow had fallen on Philadelphia ahead of the Eagles' scheduled "Sunday Night Football" game at home against the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL, fearing worsening conditions, chose to postpone the game until Tuesday night so crews could clear roads and parking lots at Lincoln Financial Field.
Pennsylvania Gov. and former Philly Mayor Ed Rendell was incensed after reading an Inquirer column from Will Bunch, who lamented the "wimpiness" from "girly-men who made this decision."
Rendell, a diehard Birds fan, let loose during a radio interview on 97.5 The Fanatic.
"My biggest beef is that this is part of what's happened in this country," Rendell said. "I think we've become wussies."
Rendell didn't stop there.
"The Chinese are kicking our butt in everything," he said. "If this was in China, do you think the Chinese would have called off the game? People would have been marching down to the stadium, they would have walked and they would have been doing calculus on the way down."
A week earlier, the Eagles were riding high. DeSean Jackson had returned a punt for a walk-off touchdown in the closing seconds of a miracle comeback against the Giants. Come Tuesday night, the Birds were out of sorts. They faced backup Vikings quarterback Joe Webb, who scrambled around and managed the game on the way to a 24-14 win. The Eagles stumbled into the playoffs and lost at home in the wild-card round to Aaron Rodgers and the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.
Rendell would later write a New York Times bestseller, "A Nation of Wusses: How America's Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great," in which he turned the sentiment into a political rating system of "wuss" and "non-wuss" to judge America's leaders.
On a snowy afternoon in February 2010, Steve Keeley (again) was out in the snow doing interviews to get some color on the storm.
In Warminster, he hopped on a SEPTA bus to chat with the driver.
"Coming up here was extremely bad, but going down the roads are much better," the smiling driver answered.
A split-second later, people filed onto the bus without paying their fares.
"Hey! Y'all better pay!" the driver shouted. "I don't care if it's snowing out there! Y'all better pay, and you're gonna' pay now!"
The clip ended up making its way onto an episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" that night.
In November 2018, drivers braving a snowstorm noticed a truck with a trailer pulled over on the side of the road near Sellersville. Standing next to the vehicle was a camel.
Nbd just a camel on 309 in a snow storm 😂🐫 #wtf pic.twitter.com/a1zbelyjsR
— meg❋ (@meg_vogel) November 15, 2018
Why? The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia had ordered a camel from Peaceable Kingdom Petting Zoo to appear in a performance planned that night at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. When pictures and videos of the camel went viral on social media, the Jewish Federation explained the situation, identifying the camel as Einstein.
This is our camel! His name is Einstein and he’s on his way to our Main Event at the Kimmel Center in Philly tonight. We have treats and a blanket waiting. https://t.co/HAz7S3DFPz
— JewishPhilly (@JFedinPhilly) November 15, 2018
In an update later that night, the Jewish Federation said the storm prevented Einstein from making it to Center City.
"His ride got stuck in the weather and decided it was best for him to go home," the organization said. "Thank you for everyone’s concern. Einstein is safe and happy to be headed home."
For those wondering, Einstein is still alive and well these days. In November, his handler explained to Lehigh Daily that she had to turn the truck around in 2018 because the snow and Einstein's weight prevented the trailer from getting up the hill on Route 309. Einstein's handler said his celebrity turn as the "snow camel" has turned him into a brat.
If Santa Claus isn't safe in Philly, no one is.
In March 2018, FOX29 reporter Lauren Johnson (who's now at ABC11 in North Carolina) was out with some "local youngsters" having a snowball fight somewhere in the suburbs. Johnson said she had already been hit in the face once, but carried on with the report.
As she moved away from the kids, Johnson was struck directly in the face. FOX29 slowed the moment down in an edit for viewers' enjoyment.
OUCH! @LaurenDawnFOX29 thought it would be fun to have a snowball fight with some local youngsters. Little did she know, they would show no mercy! #FOX29Snow
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) March 7, 2018
FORECAST: https://t.co/CIDDfS1pW4 pic.twitter.com/GI7qaFfDTM
At least she was a good sport about it.
Let's hope this weekend's storm gives us something new to remember.
