Philadelphia To Return To Present Day By Afternoon

For the past few days, Philadelphians have been stuck in 1888 London, with fog and scones and Jack The Ripper. Okay, it was only that first one, but it has been impossible to see, like, the skyline.

And it’s not just slowing down drivers or impeding tourists’ views of William Penn. Tom Thunstrom notes at Phillyweather.net that the fog made the airport 10 degrees cooler than the suburbs and Lehigh Valley. (Neat!)

But all of this should be clearing in the next hour or so, as the temperature will be in the low 60s today, with 50-degree temperatures hitting Saturday and possible record-breaking temperatures over 65 degrees on Sunday and Monday.

If you dig the fog, well, then get your last good look at it now, because over the weekend you’ll be wearing shorts.

More AM Fog Today, Nice Weekend [6 ABC]
Foggy Friday [Phillyweather.net]

The Week Ahead in Weather: From London to Alaska

Were you up early this morning? It was all tally ho, pip pip, cheerio and other old Londonisms that may or may not be real. The region was covered in heavy fog until about now, when the fog advisory ended and most of the fog had burned off.

Now that we’re out of 19th century London, today’s temperatures are going to go up to about 80 degrees in the city, meaning that it’s another day of polo shirts and khakis (or jeans, depending on how liberal your business casual is) for the yuppies in Center City and another day of light sweatpants and t-shirts for the college kids.

But after today’s warm-up, it’s going to drop to below normal for the rest of the week, perhaps, with a chance of snow on Friday. This is going to wreak havoc on my allergies. Still, for now, enjoy the sunny day, and turn on your AC if you get a little too hot.

Severe Warmth and Severe Storms [Philadelphia Weather]
Dense Fog Slams Parts Of Area [NBC 10]

Quickies: Temple of the dog and cat

• While I’m not as big of a fan of them as I am of puppies, kittens are pretty boffo too. But sometimes they can be used for evil. Or at least to reinforce gender stereotyping, or something. Readers are angry at Step Inside Design’s December/January issue, which had a kitten-filled cover to represent the “Women of Design.” The response: “But we honestly believe you can change connotations by re-appropriating them (especially with humor). That’s why it’s OK for Spike Lee to make a movie about minstrel shows but it would not be OK if Woody Allen did. Mel Brooks can get away for Springtime for Hitler, but Prussian Blue can’t … context is everything.” This is what as known as the “re-appropriating stereotypes cop out.” [Folio Magazine]

• In honor of the Chinese New Year — the year of the dog — here’s a list of the top 100 pop culture dogs ever. Krypto, Superman’s dog, lands at #19. I’m feverishly working on a Top 100 Puppies Ever list. [Retrocrush]

• Somebody at the BBC totally effed up and somehow the BBC spent some time filming in Bristol, Bucks County, as opposed to the version of that town across the pond. (Okay, they’re actually following around Iraq War vet and Democrat Patrick Murphy — who’s also running for Congress — which means give the liberal bloggers five minutes to start going nutso over this television appearance.) [Bucks County Courier Times]

• I want to live in this guy’s world, because I bet the mind-altering drugs are fantastic: “[The Washington Post has] decided to use their pages to mount a political campaign against progressive bloggers, who they’ve apparently decided are their sworn enemy. It’s absolutely paranoid and ridiculous.” [MyDD]

• Yes, if you’ve stepped outside today, Philadelphia is channeling 1849 London with all this fog. [Philadelphia Weather]