Full Notification

City of Philadelphia Municipal Offices to Open on Monday, March 4, 2019

PHILADELPHIA - A winter weather system is expected to bring snow to Philadelphia and surrounding counties overnight. The National Weather Service Mount Holly forecasts the storm to be over before Monday mornings rush hour. Philadelphia Streets Department is prepared to work overnight to clear roads, therefore City offices will be open on Monday, March 4, 2019.

Due to the winter storm, SEPTA Regional Rail Trains will operate on a modified schedule. Please visit the Winter Storm Service Plan for service information. SEPTA riders should check TrainView regularly for updates or additional service information throughout the day.

For information on bus detours and other modes of SEPTA transit, please visit https://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml.

In preparation for the storm, the Philadelphia Streets Department mobilized at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. 100 pieces of equipment are actively treating the streets with over 30,000 tons of salt available. This event is planned to be a salting and plowing operation of primary and secondary roads, bridge decks and streets in areas of high air elevations. Crews will remain on-duty overnight to monitor roadways and respond to problem locations and emergencies.

The wintry mix is expected to impact Monday’s morning commute. Motorists are asked to allow extra time and maintain safe driving distances to allow for sudden stopping. Snow, sleet and rain can cause other hazardous conditions such as down trees and wires impacting traffic conditions.

Trash and recycling collections are on a regular schedule. Sanitation crews will be working throughout the snow event; however, delays are expected as trucks navigate through the inclement weather.

The Streets Department urges residents to follow these simple tips for snow and ice management:  

• Have shovels and de-icing supplies ready
• Salt steps and sidewalks early to prevent sticking
• Prepare a pathway at least 3 feet wide within six hours of the end of the storm
• Pile snow on the sidewalk along the curb line. Shoveling snow into the street hinders plowing efforts and it is illegal.

Due to the winter weather, a Code Blue is in effect to protect people experiencing homelessness. Call Homeless Outreach at (215) 232-1984 if you see someone who needs shelter. Also during a Code Blue, City ordinance requires all dogs to be either indoors, or have access to shelter that meets certain requirements.

The Philadelphia Water Department’s customer contact center (215) 685-6300 will be open on Monday for normal hours (8am - 5pm). Residents are encouraged to shovel snow from the fronts of fire hydrants and storm drains on their block to allow snow melt to drain to the city sewer system.

The Philly 311 Contact Center will be open on Monday for normal hours (8am - 8pm) to take calls for non-emergencies. The walk-in Center at City Hall (Room 167) will be open normal business hours. Requests for salting and plowing will not be taken during the storm. Once the storm has moved on, the City will announce when such requests will be taken.

Philadelphia International Airport is open but expects travel impacts throughout the day. Flight cancellations are reported. The airport advises anyone planning to fly today to check directly with their airline for flight status updates.

Archdiocesan high schools and parochial elementary schools in the City of Philadelphia will be closed on Monday, March 4.

The School District of Philadelphia will determine the status of schools and staff. Please visit philasd.org and Twitter @PHLSchools for updates.

As of now, Philadelphia Prisons will offer normal inmate visiting hours. Check @PhillyPrisons on Twitter for any potential updates to visiting schedule.

Stay informed:

• Tune to local news for weather updates.
• Sign up for free emergency alerts and weather updates from ReadyPhiladelphia at www.phila.gov/ready. Text ReadyPhila (one word) to 888-777 to get text alerts.
• For more winter weather tips, visit the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management online at www.phila.gov/ready.
• For official updates from the City, follow @PhilaOEM on Twitter or find them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Other City Twitter accounts to follow for information: @PhiladelphiaGov; @Philly311; @PhilaStreets; @PhillyPolice; @PhillyFireDept, and @PHLAirport.