PennDOT Warning: Speed Limits Slashed To 45MPH As Winter Storm Devin Hits Philly

As Friday afternoon approached, an unmistakable tension gripped the Philadelphia region. Shoppers moved with purpose through hardware stores, their trolleys laden with bags of salt and scrapers. The forecast was clear enough: a winter storm was coming, bringing sleet, snow, and freezing rain in its wake.

Yet what began as routine winter preparation would transform into something far more demanding—a test of the region's infrastructure, its residents' resilience, and the delicate balance between preparation and panic that defines communities facing unexpected meteorological fury.

The mood at Stanley's True Value in Roxborough captured the collective anxiety perfectly. 'It's been very busy all day,' store manager Joe Jaconski recalled to 6ABC Action News as the afternoon progressed. What struck him most was the surge in demand.

'We've sold about 600 bags of the 20lb Sure Paws, which is the pet-friendly ice melter that we have,' he noted. 'I think it was about 90 or 65 last December, so numbers are definitely way up right now.'

The figures told their own story: residents understood the severity of what approached and were determined not to be caught unprepared.

Among those shopping was James Vallery, a Germantown resident who owns Val's Restaurant at 2047 Green Street. His priorities were straightforward.

'I needed some more salt for tomorrow morning,' he explained to 6ABC Action News . 'I own a restaurant at 2047 Green Street, so just take some extra precautions so nobody slips and falls because it might be nasty.'

For small business owners, the stakes felt higher—responsibility extended beyond oneself to customers and employees.

Philadelphia's Winter Storm: From Preparation to Hazardous Reality

By around 6 p.m., the theoretical had become tactile. A wintry mix of sleet and snow began coating Philadelphia's streets. City crews immediately mobilised, spreading salt along Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy to combat increasingly slick conditions. Yet Nature proved faster than bureaucracy.

Within hours, accidents began accumulating across the region—one on City Avenue in Wynnefield Heights, another involving an overturned vehicle on Bells Mill Road in Andorra. Drivers on I-76 eastbound found themselves crawling along a slushy highway, their progress measured in metres rather than kilometres.

Snow had begun falling around 5 p.m., when temperatures hovered in the upper 20s Fahrenheit. The precipitation pattern followed a geographic logic: south of Philadelphia, conditions began as sleet or freezing rain, whilst areas north-east of the city experienced predominantly snow.

This distinction mattered considerably. The wintry mixture meant roads transformed into skating rinks overnight, creating hazards that salt and sand could only partially mitigate.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation responded by reducing speed limits on major roads, including I-76, though these measures felt almost quaint given the conditions unfolding. By around midnight, the storm had moved out, yet the danger persisted. The major concern overnight into Saturday morning centred on icy conditions—roads and sidewalks frozen solid by subfreezing temperatures.

Saturday itself would be mostly cloudy with highs only reaching the low 30s Fahrenheit. More concerning still was the prospect of refreezing Saturday night into Sunday morning, a scenario that would trap yet another layer of ice beneath any precipitation that fell.

Winter Storm Impact: Snow Totals, Government Response, and Community Disruption

The snow accumulation varied dramatically by location. Philadelphia, Delaware County, and Chester County received only a coating to one inch of snow. However, Bucks County and northern Burlington County received considerably more, with snowfall reaching two to four inches.

The Winter Storm Watch remained in effect throughout Friday and into early Saturday morning—an official acknowledgment that conditions warranted sustained alert.

Acting Governor Tahesha Way declared a State of Emergency effective 1 p.m. Friday, recognising the seriousness of the situation.

'Starting this afternoon, we will experience a severe weather storm bringing dangerous outdoor conditions to our state,' she stated. 'This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel. We are urging travellers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads. Drivers should plan their travel accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols.'

The City of Philadelphia's Streets Department responded with characteristic efficiency.

'The City of Philadelphia's Streets Department was fully prepared for today's weather event and is continuing to treat all roadways in every neighbourhood throughout the city,' an official statement declared. 'Crews will work throughout the night whilst precipitation is still falling, to ensure that emergency services can safely move through city neighbourhoods, and all other drivers and vehicles can travel safely.'

Not all institutions waited for the storm to pass. Penn Museum announced it would open later on Saturday, 27 December, at 12 p.m. rather than its normal opening time. Yet the museum committed to running its scheduled programming. ''Winter Break' activities, like the 2 p.m. drumming workshop and 3 p.m. family tour ('Celebrations Across Cultures'), will take place as scheduled,' a museum spokesperson confirmed.

For residents like Asiah Velasquez in Manayunk, the experience became a cyclical battle against accumulating ice. 'Trying to get ahead of it,' he explained to 6ABC Action News, 'Probably going to do this for like every two hours. Shovel whatever I can, and salt it.' Yet Velasquez, a lifelong Philadelphian, maintained perspective. 'I was born and raised in Philly, so this is nothing,' he said. 'It's like prepare for the worst, hope for the best.'