Late-Week Storm Headed To PA, Hazardous Weather Outlook Issued

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for a late-week storm headed to the Philadelphia region. The storm, which the NWS says could be "strong," will affect the region Thursday night through Saturday. Precipitation will be in the form of rain, which could be heavy and cause flooding issues.

The storm comes at the height of holiday travel.

"The combination of commuter traffic around the major cities and the beginnings of holiday travel are likely to make Thursday, Dec. 20, one of the worst days to travel for the Christmas holiday this year, not including weather-related issues, according to AccuWeather.

AAA has predicted a record-breaking 112.5 million travelers will hit the roads and skies for the upcoming holiday. The storm could cause flight delays at the peak of travel, forecasters say.

Drivers should be mindful of the road conditions as well.

"Motorists should expect delays related to rain, fog and low-lying area flooding to become more extensive as the week draws to a close. A swath of heavy rain is likely to shift northward along the I-95 corridor from Thursday to Friday night. Philadelphia, New York City and Boston may be hit hard with heavy rain for a time.," AccuWeather predicted.

While Thursday and Friday may come with poor travel conditions, things appear to improve on Saturday, The Weather Channel says.

"The storm system will finally move into eastern Canada, but showers may persist early in New England. Snow showers and wind may linger of the mountains of northern New England and upstate New York. Dry weather is expected elsewhere," The Weather Channel said in a holiday travel outlook.

Here is the forecast:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 38. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 23. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 42. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday: A chance of rain after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Rain. Low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Friday: Rain before 1pm, then showers after 1pm. High near 60. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 43.