Heavy snow will spread across parts of the Northeast starting Monday evening and continuing through Tuesday, with some areas expected to receive up to two inches of snow per hour, National Weather Service forecasters said.
This is not a storm that lasts long; snow will fall quickly and in some cases pile up to a foot or more.
Even Central Park, which hasn’t been covered in a half-foot or more of snow since Jan. 29, 2022, could see the return of sleds, snowballs and snowmen by Tuesday afternoon .
Here are the key things to know about the storm.
-
Snow appears more likely in New York, with a possibility of more than six inches. It will start with rain in the city and will most likely change to snow around Tuesday’s morning commute.
-
There remains some uncertainty as to exactly when precipitation will change from rain to snow in the New York metro area, which would affect eventual snow totals.
-
The heaviest band of snow is most likely to fall on the southern coast of New England, forecasters with the National Weather Service in Boston said Monday afternoon. Cities like Boston are less likely to receive a foot of snow as originally predicted.
-
Schools announce closures ahead of Tuesday’s storm. Boston Public Schools will be closed, according to the district’s website, and New York City Public Schools also announced that classes would be held remotely.
Snow is likely from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.
Early Monday, the weather service said its forecasters were confident Connecticut and the lower Hudson Valley would see at least six inches of snow.
The heaviest snowfall will fall in northern Pennsylvania and southern New York before spreading to southern New England on Tuesday, the weather service said.
By Monday evening, the forecast was changing, with a greater chance of the heaviest snow falling farther south on New York and Long Island. Areas north and west of New York may receive less snow than initially expected. However, exactly where the heaviest band might fall was still unclear.
Winter storm warnings were put into effect Monday afternoon for New York City. and Long Island, where forecasters expect at least six inches of snow.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said heavy rainfall was expected across all five boroughs starting Monday evening, leading to slippery roads and low visibility during the morning trips.
“We haven’t had any significant snowfall for some time,” Mr Adams said. “The time has come. Mother Nature does what she wants.
High winds and coastal flooding will also accompany the storm. Coastal flooding is forecast for the Jersey Shore and Long Island, according to the weather service.
A winter storm warning was issued from Pennsylvania to coastal Massachusetts, where winds could reach gusts of 35 to 40 miles per hour and snow accumulation could reach up to 10 or even 13 inches. The storm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Inland areas of northeastern New Jersey, the Lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut can expect heavy, wet snowfall with accumulations of up to 12 inches, with locally higher amounts. high, especially north of I-84, late Monday night, the weather service said.
Forecasters warned that strong winds and heavy snow could damage trees and power lines.
Five to eight inches of snow were expected in the New York metro area and Long Island.
The New York State Department of Transportation said it was monitoring weather conditions and was prepared to respond with a range of heavy equipment, including 1,544 large snow plow trucks and 36 snow blowers .
However, other regions had slightly different preparations in mind.
Dean Ryder, owner of Thunder Ridge Ski Area in New York’s Putnam County, said he is preparing for a potential influx of customers. He said the ski area could double its attendance after a big snowstorm.
Thunder Ridge holds lessons that regularly attract skiers, but those are “nothing compared to a snowstorm” when it comes to driving business, he said. “It’s just something to see it out the window.”
Claire Fahy reports contributed.