Heavy Rain

Heavy rain tonight and tomorrow should give way to a crisp, but chilly, Christmas weekend. Today should see mild weather with highs approaching 58 degrees. Rain will move in tonight, heavy at times, with the possibility of an inch or more. More rain is likely tomorrow, with a high of 52. But accumulation does not look heavy, according to the National Weather Service. By Saturday, the skies should clear in time for Christmas Eve, with a high of 46, and low of around 34. Christmas Day looks to be partly sunny, with a high near 47. The low overnight Sunday into Monday will remain above freezing, with a low of about 35. Last year, a snowstorm rolled in the day after Christmas.

A low pressure system is expected to stall over the region early tomorrow, bringing heavy rain, triggering yet another flood watch, and slowing the commute. The National Weather Service says the weather pattern is expected to remain unsettled through the weekend and into next week, with real clearing not expected to Wednesday. Already, fog is impacting some area's of this morning's commute. And it is sticky out, with humidity reaching 93 percent. The forecast calls for scattered showers this morning, with more showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this afternoon.

Leap Day will be marked by heavy rain moving in later this morning, bringing a soggy end to February. A storm moving eastward from Ohio should bring rain the heaviest rain by about 1 p.m., with the potential for thunderstorms. Rainfall is expected to continue throughout the day with a high of 46. Precipitation could amount to between three-quarters of an inch to an inch. The rain will continue through midnight and ending by early morning. There seems to be little chance of it changing to snow in the Philadelphia area, with lows only dipping to 44. But Thursday, the onset of March, should see some clearing.

Heavy rain, possibly accompanied by thunderstorms, could be intensifying as President Obama arrives for a fundraising visit later today, setting the stage for a potentially messy evening commute in and out of Center City Philadelphia. Air Force One is scheduled to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport about 5:25 p.m., with the president immediately departing for fundraising events visits, including a public event at the Franklin Institute for 500 people at 7:50 p.m. He'll also attend to two private functions before flying back to Washingtron around 10:30 p.m. Today's forecast calls for showers likely in the morning and afternoon, with a possible a thunderstorm, according to the National Weather Service.

A couple of inches of rain or more could fall between this evening and Wednesday afternoon. The Phillies might luck out for this evening's 7:05 game against the Houston Astros, with the heaviest rain expected after midnight. "There may be delays, but the game shouldn't be called," said meteorologist Tony Gigi of the National Weather Service. More of a worry is Tuesday's 1:05 p.m. game, second of two against Houston at Citizens Bank Park. Heavy rain is possible morning and afternoon, and thunderstorms could make an appearance.

Just in case, PennDot workers in Swedesford prepared yesterday for a winter storm that was expected to mainly bring heavy rain to the Philadelphia area.

Atlantic City Country Club gained a slight advantage over Huntingdon Valley Country Club, 9 to 8 1/2, at match play for pairs in the Philadelphia Team Golf Championship yesterday at LuLu Country Club. Heavy rain washed out the afternoon's match-play singles; those matches were rescheduled for Aug. 5 at LuLu.

The first-round baseball matchup between Delaware County and Philadelphia Public in the Carpenter Cup was postponed today because of heavy rain. Tournament officials pushed the game back to 2 p.m. Wednesday, a day that was already designed for makeup games in case of bad weather. There are no other games scheduled for Wednesday. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals, where it will meet Burlington County on Friday afternoon. Burlington County beat Berks County, 12-8, Wednesday morning before the rain poured.

The holiday week forecast looks good for travelers, high school football games, and Black Friday shopping. For the Philadelphia area, the next five days look rain-free with highs in the mid to upper 50s and lows around 40. In outlying areas west and north of the city, however, freezing or near-freezing overnight temperatures are likely through the weekend, except on Friday night, when the low could be closer to 40. Saturday and Sunday, also...

Heavy rain caused the postponement of numerous high school football games Friday night. Here is a list of rescheduled dates: Central League: Strath Haven at Garnet Valley, Sat., 7 p.m.; Springfield (D) at Haverford High, Sat., 7; Harriton at Upper Darby, Sat., 7. Suburban One League: William Tennent at Council Rock North, Sat., 1:30 p.m.; Norristown at Upper Merion, Sat., 6; Neshaminy at Abington, Mon., 7. Ches-Mont League: Sun Valley at Oxford, Sat., noon.; W.C. Henderson at West Chester East, Sat., 6; Unionville at West Chester Rustin, Sat., 7. Pioneer Athletic Conference: Methacton at Pope John Paul II, Sat., 1 p.m. Bicentennial League: Jenkintown at Calvary Christian, Mon., 4 p.m. Nonleague: Chichester at Kennett (new site)

After an afternoon high of 68 - just two degrees shy of the record for the date set in 1947 - the Philadelphia area faces heavy rain and high winds tonight, raising the possibility of some power outages, flash flooding and flight delays. Temperatures should then drop drastically, with overnight lows in the 20s Thursday night, when a chance of light snow continues into Friday morning. Some morning commutes might be messy the next two days for very different reasons. Today's rain could start in the city by early evening, becoming likely by 8 p.m. "A substantial squall line will probably cross the area between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. and thunderstorms may be embedded in this line," according to a National Weather Service flood watch issued for Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Nailla Robinson, the 5-year-old girl audaciously abducted from her West Philadelphia kindergarten class a day earlier, was found early Tuesday half-dressed and shivering - but safe - in a rain-soaked Upper Darby playground. Nelson Mandela Myers, a sanitation worker who heard her cries about 4:40 a.m. while on his way to his job, rushed to comfort her and called 911 - and will receive the $10,000 reward offered by Mayor Nutter for her safe recovery, police said. Still being sought Tuesday night: the kidnapper, dressed in black Muslim garb that revealed only her eyes, who walked into Bryant School and persuaded employees to let her walk away with the unsuspecting girl.

CONCORD, N.H. - A muted version of a winter storm that has killed more than a dozen people across the eastern half of the country plodded across the Northeast on Thursday, trapping airliners in snow or mud and frustrating travelers still trying to return home after Christmas. The storm, which was blamed for at least 16 deaths farther south and west, brought plenty of wind, rain and snow to the Northeast when it blew in Wednesday night. Lights generally remained on and cars mostly stayed on the road, unlike many harder-hit places including Arkansas, where 200,000 homes and businesses lost power.

Suspect tied to more killings ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A man found dead of an apparent suicide in an Alaska jail was not only suspected of killing an Anchorage barista, but also killed a Vermont couple and may be linked to five other possible slayings around the country, investigators said. Israel Keyes, who had also confessed to killing a Vermont couple, was found dead in his cell Sunday, authorities said at a news conference that included U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler, the FBI, and Anchorage police.

The holiday week forecast looks good for travelers, high school football games, and Black Friday shopping. For the Philadelphia area, the next five days look rain-free with highs in the mid to upper 50s and lows around 40. In outlying areas west and north of the city, however, freezing or near-freezing overnight temperatures are likely through the weekend, except on Friday night, when the low could be closer to 40. Saturday and Sunday, also...

Here's a breakdown of what to expect from Hurricane Sandy, as this "Frankenstorm" rips through the region today. The odds were put at 100 percent that the entire region will get sustained tropical storm force winds today. That means 39 m.p.h. or more - and at the Shore, much more - and these damaging, even devastating winds are likely to last for hours. Atlantic City was expected to have sustained winds of 50 to 60 m.p.h. all afternoon and early evening, with gusts of up to 80 m.p.h.

Hurricane Sandy remains on a collision course with the Philadelphia region and the rest of the densely populated Midatlantic and Northeast. Sandy is expected to cause widespread flooding and potentially massive power outages, public officials and meteorologists warned. The "rare and dangerous storm" could affect 60 million people and "lead to billions of dollars in damage," wrote AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski late this morning. Forecast updates at 11 a.m., 2 p.m.,, and 5 p.m. reinforced local concerns.

A cold front could bring some rain and even thunderstorms starting Saturday afternoon. That's the one gloomy stretch in what seems likely to be another week of nice weather, with highs in the 70s under dry skies every day but Saturday. So far, the chance on Saturday seems to be slight for anything like the heavy rain and strong gusts that knocked out power for tens of thousands around the region Tuesday afternoon and evening. In Philadelphia, cloudy but dry skies Saturday morning could last into midafternoon or even evening, when the chance of rain rises to 60 percent.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - It's been four years since Sergio Garcia's last PGA Tour victory. He'll have to wait one more day before he can try to finish this one off. And a downpour at the Wyndham Championship meant another day of uncertainty for others on the playoff bubble. Garcia had the lead at 15 under through four holes Sunday when the final round in the last event before the FedEx Cup playoffs was suspended for the day because of heavy rain. Tim Clark, Jason Dufner, and Bud Cauley were 14 under through varying stages of their rounds, and 38 players - half the field - were still on the course when play was stopped.

IT'S BEEN 4 years since Sergio Garcia's last PGA Tour victory. He'll have to wait 1 more day before he can try to finish this one off. And a downpour at the Wyndham Championship meant another day of uncertainty for others on the playoff bubble. Garcia had the lead at 15 under through four holes Sunday when the final round in the last event before the FedEx Cup playoffs was suspended for the day because of heavy rain. Tim Clark, Jason Dufner and Bud Cauley were 14 under through varying stages of their rounds, and 38 players - half the field - were still on the course when play was stopped.