What to Know
- A storm bearing down on the tri-state could bring up to a foot of snow on the east end of Long Island; NYC could get about 4 to 8 inches
- Schools are closed in New York City Thursday, and other schools in the tri-state are reporting closures, too
- The snow stops falling by Thursday evening, but will leave behind brutal cold, with wind chills below zero on Friday
UPDATE: Blizzard Warnings Expanded, Half-Foot Falls in Spots in Hours -- Storm Team 4 Has Updates on Timing, Expectations
A winter storm bearing down on the tri-state has prompted blizzard and winter storm warnings for parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and shut down entire school districts as the tri-state braces for up to 8 to 12 inches of snow.
The first flakes should begin falling after midnight along the coastline Thursday, and then spread inland into the overnight and early morning hours, according to Storm Team 4. The snow will overspread the city and suburbs before the morning rush hour, making for a difficult commute, especially near the coast. The snow will fall, heavy at times, through the day on Thursday.
Storm Team 4 forecasts 8 to 12 inches of snow for most of Long Island (all of Suffolk and most of Nassau County), with wind gusts up to 55 mph making for whiteout conditions on Long Island and for the New Jersey shoreline. It's not out of the question for the east end of Long Island to see upwards of 12 inches of snow.
What to Expect: Storm Team 4 Breaks Down Latest Snow Projections, Timeline
A blizzard warning is in effect for Suffolk, Monmouth and Ocean counties through Thursday night.
Meanwhile, New York City and surrounding suburbs are under winter storm warnings into Thursday night. The city and surrounding areas are expected to get 4 to 8 inches of the white stuff, with locally higher amounts possible, according to Storm Team 4. Wind gusts, though not as strong as along coastal areas, may cause power outages. Areas north and west of the metro area (in the Hudson Valley, northwest New Jersey and the Catskills) could get up to 2 to 4 inches of snow.
Projected snow totals remain highly variable depending on how the system moves, especially because the snow bands are so narrow, Storm Team 4 says.
The last flakes will fall on Thursday evening, but even after the snow moves out at night, strong wind gusts of 40 mph or more will lead to areas of blowing and drifting snow. It turns brutally cold behind this system.
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All New York City schools are closed Thursday, and other schools across the tri-state are reporting closings and delays as well.
Alternate-side parking is suspended in the city Thursday and Friday, though meter rules remain in effect. NYC Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia told a news conference that the city expects a "plow event" with near-whiteout conditions, and she called for laborers to contact 311 and sign up for cleanup duty.
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The precipitation won't leave higher temps behind when it moves out. Forecasters say high temperatures Friday and Saturday will top out at about 15 degrees. Storm Team 4 says actual temps in the city could hit -2 on Friday, with -15 north and west. Dangerously cold wind chills as low as 30 below zero will cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes to exposed skin, especially Friday night into Saturday. Wind chills could range from 25 to 35 below zero Friday night into Saturday.
7 Ways to Deal With Frozen Pipes During Frigid Weather
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