Snow emergency declared in Philadelphia

As of 6 p.m. tonight, the city of Philadelphia will be under a snow emergency.

Mayor Michael Nutter announced Monday afternoon that all cars parked on snow emergency routes must be moved before 6 p.m. or they will be towed. Motorists can find a map of snow emergency routes by clickinghere.

City employees will be dismissed at 2 p.m. today. Nutter said city officials will announce at 6 p.m. about further closings and dismissals, including school and city closures.

Trash and recycling pickup will be suspended tomorrow because of plowing, Nutter said.

Roads will be treated within 24 to 72 hours after snowfall ends, under the current forecast.

SEPTA GM Joe Casey said today’s snow forecast should not change today’s rush hour.

For Tuesday, the Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line will run on a regular schedule, however several bus lines will be cut back. The Regional Rail train schedule may change, but that will be decided later tonight.

Nutter said the sometimes contentious issue of residents shoveling out parking spots and then placing a trash can or chair in the spot to “Save it” has “Vexed the city.”

“At the end of the day common sense should rule,” Nutter said. “Work it out between neighborhoods. You’re neighbors. … It’s just a parking spot.”

Regarding shopping habits of city inhabitants, Nutter said for citizens to get their eggs, bread, milk, and cinnamon since “Philadelphia is apparently the city of French Toast.”

More details to come at 6:30.

Latest on snow totals

The projected inch count in Philadelphia is growing.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mitchell Gaines said Monday that snow accumulation projections for the Philadelphia-area rose overnight.

Philadelphians should expect between 10 and 14 inches to be dumped in their area from Monday night into Tuesday morning.

“Once you get down to Delaware and Chester County there is potential for totals to fall off to the 6 to 8-inch range though,” he said.

Wind gusts could reach up to 40 mph, and isolated power outages are a possibility.

“We’re going to see light snow through the remainder of the day today,” Gaines said, “and then overnight into tomorrow morning is when we should see our heaviest snow.”

But don’t worry, Philly. We haven’t reached the “Snowmageddon” category just yet.

“The storm hasn’t reached blizzard proportions,” he said, “but it’s still developing.”