Chilly temperatures will add to the holiday mood for the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Wednesday night. By the time the ceremony kicks off, temperatures will be near 40 degrees.
But with wind gusts as high as 25 mph, it’ll feel five or more degrees cooler than that. Hats and gloves are recommended attire for those of you planning to watch the festivities in person.
Skies will be mostly cloudy, but a few sprinkles or flurries are possible in the city. It won’t amount to much because the air is a little starved of moisture, but there may be enough to set a festive tone for the evening. Ponchos can stay at home; a hat or hood will more than suffice in NYC.
Post-ceremony, light showers will continue overnight and into Thursday morning. Across Long Island and South Jersey, this will all fall as rain. But further north and west, temperatures will be cold enough for snow. We’re not looking at huge accumulations, but some light measurable snow is possible, especially in Sullivan and Ulster County where the National Weather Service has issued Winter Weather Advisories.
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In our northern-most counties, expect 1 to 3 inches of snow. Otherwise, most will see less than an inch.
Even rainfall totals will be less than half an inch area-wide.
Despite the low precipitation totals, the timing through Thursday morning will slow down the AM commute. Roads will be wet for some, slushy for others, and quick snow bursts could lower visibility. Take it easy on the roads.
Weather
After showers exit by the afternoon, it is all about the howling winds. A Wind Advisory was issued across the metro area, warning of wind gusts 40-50mph throughout the day on Thursday.
The persistent winds will lead to sub-freezing feels-like temperatures through Friday; most of the time it is going to feel more like the 20s.
But we won’t be stuck in the chill for too long. Temperatures start to turn around on Sunday and continue to warm up through most of next week. This is also when precipitation returns to the forecast, but with temperatures climbing into the mid-50s, there’s no more snow in sight.
