What to Know
- An April snowstorm brought more than 5 inches to Central Park before Monday's peak morning commute wrapped up
- The storm moved in quickly and is expected to go out the same; most of any accumulating snow will likely melt
- It's the biggest NYC snowstorm to hit in the month of April since 1982, when 9.6 inches fell on Central Park
The biggest April snowstorm to hit New York City in nearly four decades rolled in Monday, walloping the warmth-deprived tri-state with sideswept icy snowflakes that at one point fell at a rate of 2 inches an hour in the city, according to Storm Team 4 and the National Weather Service.
The Yankees had to postpone their home opener until Tuesday as heavy snow filled the seats and blanketed the field. Central Park recorded 5.5 inches of snow, marking the biggest April snowstorm since 1982, when 9.6 inches fell. The Mets' game against Philadelphia was also postponed.
Updated Snow Totals Come in for NYC, Upstate, NJ, CT
The snow moved in before dawn Monday and rapidly overspread the area. Thick, wet flakes clung to car tops and streets from Brooklyn to Manhattan, and the National Weather Service says a snowfall rate of 2 inches an hour was recorded at LaGuardia Airport shortly before 7 a.m. Roads were slick in the city during the morning commute and worse in the suburbs, with visibility near zero.
Accidents on the roads reflected the treacherous going: at one point, an overturned tractor-trailer shut down all northbound lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike near Springfield Township. New Jersey State Police responded to 53 motor vehicle crashes in just a three-hour span as the storm bore down. All three main local airports reported flight disruptions as well.
Spring Snow Terrorizes Storm-Weary Tri-State
By 10:30 a.m., parts of New Jersey, including Morris County's Millington (7.1), Hudson County's Kearny (6.8) and Sussex County's Highland Lakes (6) had recorded a half-foot of snow or more. White Plains, New York, saw a whopping 7.5 inches, while Stuyvesant Town saw 5.7 inches and Astoria had 5.4 inches.
Staten Island was mostly spared; 2.2 inches were recorded in Richmond. Greenwich and Norwalk, Connecticut, saw 6 inches and 5.8 inches, respectively. In Suffolk County, Sayville saw the most (6.6), followed by West Babylon (5.9).
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More than three dozen school districts announced closures and delays ahead of the storm. See the full list here.
Fourth Nor'easter in Three Weeks Rolls Into Tri-State, Once Again Buries Region and Knocks Out Power
Local
The snowfall slowed to a trickle, then appeared to mostly move out before noon. Any lingering snow would melt quickly as temps warmed to the 40s.
It will finally start to feel more like spring on Tuesday, when temperatures rise to the 50s, but it will be wet. Highs will reach the 60s by Wednesday, when a thunderstorm is possible, Storm Team 4 says.
