Philadelphia Residents Struggle to Dig Out From Icy Snow Piles

City crews and residents work to clear streets clogged with frozen snow and ice after weekend storm.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 5:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Residents and city crews in Philadelphia are working to dig out from the aftermath of a recent winter storm that left icy, frozen piles of snow clogging many streets across the city. On some streets, the snow has formed a "solid ice wall" that is proving difficult to remove, with cars struggling to navigate the rutted, icy surfaces.

Why it matters

The heavy snowfall and icy conditions have created major challenges for Philadelphia residents and city crews tasked with clearing the streets. The inability to easily navigate the roads poses risks to public safety and disrupts daily life for many in the city.

The details

City crews are using a combination of backhoes, front loaders, and dump trucks to try to clear the snow, with one crew working on 7th Street and Lehigh Avenue. The Streets Department also brought in a snow melting machine on loan from the Philadelphia International Airport to liquefy more than 1,500 tons of snow, though the machine has since been returned. Residents are also taking matters into their own hands, slowly chipping away at the "solid ice wall" of snow with shovels.

  • The weekend storm hit Philadelphia on January 25-26, 2026.
  • The Streets Department used the snow melting machine for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The players

Nathan Fitch

A South Philadelphia resident.

Ramses Groves

A North Philadelphia resident.

Lou Liberati

A South Philadelphia resident who is chipping away at the ice with a shovel.

Philadelphia Streets Department

The city agency responsible for snow removal and street maintenance.

Philadelphia International Airport

The airport that loaned a snow melting machine to the city.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“For the first time ever, there's open parking on this street, but it's because nobody can get through here.”

— Nathan Fitch, South Philadelphia resident (6abc.com)

“It's just a work in progress. It's a work in progress. And we're going to be getting more, so we can't get too comfortable.”

— Ramses Groves, North Philadelphia resident (6abc.com)

“It's a solid ice wall. It's like Game of Thrones.”

— Lou Liberati, South Philadelphia resident (6abc.com)

What’s next

The Streets Department will continue to work on clearing the streets, and residents will likely continue to dig out on their own as more snow is expected in the coming days.

The takeaway

The heavy snowfall and icy conditions in Philadelphia have created significant challenges for both city crews and residents, highlighting the need for effective snow removal strategies and the resilience of the local community in the face of extreme weather events.