Snow drought ending? Delaware forecast calls for 1-3 inches of snow this weekend

The winter weather picture is becoming clearer and depending on which forecast you look at, Wilmington and the I-95 corridor could get up to 1-3 inches of snow.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, posted on the social media site X that the area south of a line extending from Reading, Pennsylvania, to Morristown, New Jersey, and north of a line south of I-95 will face a wintry mix of snow and rain Saturday night into Sunday.

The wintry mix area includes Wilmington, Philadelphia and Trenton. The remainder of Delaware and South Jersey are expected to receive mostly rain.

Snow is in the forecast for the weekend

However, AccuWeather.com is predicting snow. Saturday will start cloudy with periods of snow and rain in the afternoon. Snow will come into the area during the night. About 1-3 inches of snow is expected between 1 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. For both Saturday and Sunday, the high is expected to be in the 40s with lows hitting 33 degrees.

How long has it been since Wilmington had snow?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's daily summaries, the last time New Castle Airport had a storm with more than an inch of snow was March 12, 2022, when it snowed 1.4 inches. That's a drought of 662 days.

How to drive in snow

With the lack of snow in the region, drivers may need a refresher on how to drive in snow. Here are some tips from AAA.

• Don't drive. If winter weather is hitting, drive only if you have to.

• Reduce speed. Ice and snow decrease your traction with the road so slow down.

• Increase following distances. Instead of the traditional two seconds, increase it to five to six seconds. Remember, it takes longer to stop on snowy roads.

• Don't use cruise control.

• Keep a half a tank of gas in your car.

• Have an emergency kit with cold-weather gear, blankets, extra food and water, a flashlight and a glass scraper.

• Keep your phone charged in case of an emergency.

How to prepare for winter weather

• Stock up on snow removal supplies: Add rock salt or ice melt, space heaters and snow shovels to your snow preparation arsenal.

• Make sure your snowblower is working: There's nothing worse than having heavy snow and finding out your snowblower isn't working. Before the storm hits, do a test run or take it in for a tune-up.

• Clean the gutters. Remove all dead leaves and other debris so that your gutters can do what they’re intended to do — collect water from the roof and channel it down to the ground.

• Inspect the roof. Repair or replace any damaged shingles, or hire someone to do it for you.

• Trim tree branches. Cut or trim back any trees that are close to your house. “Trees can fall and damage your yard, roof or entire home,” Micetich says.

• Add more insulation. Call in a pro to check your insulation and add more where necessary. “Proper levels of insulation will keep you warm in the winter and help lower your utility bills year-round,” says Micetich.

• Seal up cracks. Inspect doors and windows for drafts and seal up any openings to avoid the loss of heat and warm air.

• Insulate your pipes. Frozen pipes can burst, flooding your home and yard.

Mark Brezinski and Barbara Bellesi Zito contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Is Wilmington's snow drought ending? 1-3 inches forecast for weekend