Philadelphia weather: Latest updates on the deep freeze

The high is only expected to reach 17 degrees in Philly, with sub-zero wind chills.

Members of the Martinez family huddle in the corner of the Robert Nix Building at 9th and Market St. in Center City Philadelphia on a cold Thursday morning, January 31, 2019. Temperatures dropped below zero during arctic blast.Read moreANTHONY PEZZOTTI / Staff Photographer

Updated Jan. 31, 2019, 11:50 a.m. ET

Published Jan. 31, 2019, 7:16 a.m. ET

A dangerous deep freeze is gripping the Philadelphia region. Here’s the latest of what you need to know about its impacts.

Schools

Philadelphia public and Archdiocesan schools opened on time. Schools in Camden were closed.

The Philadelphia School District reported many school buses are delayed, at least two of them for up to two hours and about 40 others for anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. At least one public high school teacher reported a dramatic drop off of attendance (only three of the 15 students in her first-period class showed up) and said she sent of the one student to the nurse’s office because her fingers were numb.

A number of schools and school districts outside the city opened late or have closed for the day.

Mass Transit

Freezing temperatures like we are experiencing in Philadelphia can affect switches and overhead power lines. SEPTA has opened its emergency command center in an effort to keep the trains running without problems. Here’s the latest on the mass transit front.

SEPTA: Regional Rail riders should expect delays as many trains are running late. At least two Airport Line trains have been canceled between University City and the airport due to unspecified equipment problems.

PATCO: No major problems reported.

Amtrak: No major current problems reported.

NJ Transit: River Line service is operating with 15-minute delays due to an earlier disabled train.

Air Travel

Philadelphia International Airport reports no major problems there, but flights to and from points in the frozen Midwest have been canceled.

Driving

With roadways dry, the biggest problem facing motorists is dead car batteries. AAA is expecting a major uptick in calls as a result of the cold.

Forecast

After a morning of temperatures in the single digits, the high is only expected to reach 17 degrees in Philadelphia today. Wind chills, however, could be in the single digits.

The winds will die down overnight and the high Friday will be about 23 with a chance of snow during the day.

The warmup will continue into the weekend with a high of about 38 degrees Saturday, 45 Sunday, and 52 on Monday, when there will be a chance of rain.