A quick-hitting winter system is expected to sweep through the New York City region late Friday, bringing snow, slick roads, and travel disruptions as the season rush collides with deteriorating weather.
Meteorologists say snowfall should begin toward the end of the day Friday and intensify into the evening as temperatures dip into the upper 20s. Conditions are likely to worsen during the height of rush hour, with both roadways and airports facing delays.
“It looks like a 3- to 6-inch snowfall for the area coming probably very late tomorrow into tomorrow night,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told The NY Post on Thursday.
Officials stress that while the storm is not expected to paralyze the city, it will still make getting around uncomfortable and slow. “I don’t envision this as a storm that’s going to shut the city down and all that, but it will be a pain in our butts in terms of travel,” Kines said.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch covering New York City, northeast New Jersey, Long Island, and the lower Hudson Valley. The watch goes into effect at 4 p.m. Friday and runs through 1 p.m. Shabbos.
Forecasters project snowfall totals of 4 to 8 inches across the metro area by early Shabbos afternoon. However, they caution that a “reasonable worst-case scenario” could push accumulations as high as 10 inches in some locations.
Snowfall rates may reach about an inch per hour at times, with forecasters noting a “low” possibility of bursts as heavy as 2 inches per hour if stronger snow bands develop.
Either way, “hazardous travel from snow-covered roads” is expected.
AccuWeather described the storm as “fast-moving” but impactful, saying it has a “high likelihood of producing enough snow to require shoveling and plowing in the New York City metro area.”
The company warned of “major slowdowns on roads and at airports,” with senior meteorologist Tyler Roys cautioning that the “fast-moving storm will pack a punch in the Northeast.”
Kines advised that daytime plans on Friday may proceed with minimal disruption, but conditions will decline later in the afternoon. “If you’ve got errands to do during the day – returning presents or whatever – or even traveling, I think for the most part you’re OK. After 3 or 4 p.m. tomorrow, that’s when you start worrying about some snow coming in.”
City agencies say they are preparing in advance. Acting Department of Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan told The NY Post that crews began planning “well in advance of this storm, and we are ready for whatever comes our way.”
The sanitation department also cautioned residents that Friday trash pickup may be affected, posting on X that delays “are to be expected as we work to pick up material and prepare vehicles for snow operations at the same time.”
{Matzav.com}
