What you should know
- Rain and snow are expected to hit the New York area Thursday followingnoon and possibly last into Friday night. Locations far to the north and west may see significant snow accumulation. Gusty winds are also likely.
- New York City would receive mostly rain, but a wintry mix is possible overnight that might make Friday morning travel difficult.
- Some areas might see more than a foot of snow, especially further north and west of New York City. Parts of the Hudson Valley they might see 8 inches of snow, while the city can expect to receive 1-2 inches of rain.
NEW YORK — A winter storm in development begins to bring to the New York area a mix of snow, ice, and rain from when it will affect the region through Friday night. A winter storm warning is in effect for inland and northern counties, where more than a half-foot of snow can accumulate, while parts of the lower Hudson Valley The US and northern New Jersey are under a winter weather advisory where up to three inches of snow is expected along with icy roads.
Throughout the metropolitan area and coastal region, most precipitation will fall as rain with the possibility of isolated minor to moderate coastal flooding with a period of 35-50 mph easterly wind gusts beginning Thursday into the night until Friday morning. The precipitation will end as snow in the northern suburbs Friday night.
Those farther west of the city might see the flakes begin earlier Thursday, but most of the volatile system, which just swept through the South and Midwest, is expected to reach the metropolitan area in the followingnoon and in hours of the night.
As was the case with the storm earlier in the week, coastal areas and locations in and around New York City will remain above freezing and can expect mostly rain, around 1-2 inches, through Thursday. Friday followingnoon. Coastal flooding is a concern, although snow and ice buildup to the north and west of the city are the biggest threats with this system.
The northern end of Hudson Valley you might see 6 to 8 inches of snow, while higher elevations can expect a foot or more.
Given this, Governor Kathy Hochul urges New Yorkers to be careful before bad weather conditions arrive.
Rafael Pujols brings us the details from New Jersey.
Due to the extended duration of the snowfall (Thursday through Friday nights), it is possible for it to accumulate close to a foot or even more, especially further north or west of the city. In northwestern New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley, between 3 and 8 inches can be expected. Snowfall and ice buildup are the big concerns.
The largest snow totals are likely to be found at higher elevations in the Poconos and Catskills, but we might also see parts of the Hudson Valley exceeding 6 inches of snow. Follow live radar here as the storm approaches.
Winter storm warnings are in effect for Sullivan and western Ulster counties in New York, as well as Pike County in Pennsylvania through Friday followingnoon.
A winter storm watch has been issued for Orange County in New York. Sussex and Warren counties in New Jersey, as well as part of Passaic County and the eastern part of Ulster County in New York, are under winter weather advisories. Any of those areas might see snow accumulations ranging from 0 to 6 inches, depending on location and elevation.
Additional watches, watches and warnings are expected from the National Weather Service later Thursday. Check the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood here.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STORM
- Winter weather will be seen in inland and northern areas.
- Accumulations between 5 to 8 inches or more in mountainous areas.
- Mixture of snow, ice and rain in the lower part of the Hudson Valley
- Slippery conditions north of the I-84 and I-87 freeways.
- Rain for the rest of the area with possible coastal flooding.
Locally, some snow showers may persist in the north and west by Saturday morning, but the storm will be mostly over by then, leaving for cold weather over the weekend. A few gusts to the north and west are still possible to start Saturday.
Temperatures will still be cool in the 30s and 40s when it starts Hanukkah on Sunday, and will stay that way for much of the next week.
Elsewhere in the US, the massive storm system created blizzard-like conditions on the Great Plains and was expected to push more snow and ice to the northeast. Residents from West Virginia to Vermont have been told to watch for a possible significant mix of snow, ice and sleet. The winter blast dumped more than 2 feet of snow across parts of South Dakota and was part of the vast and volatile system that swept across the United States and killed three people in Louisiana.
