Snow arrives in NYC and surrounding area. Here's the timeline for the winter storm.
A winter storm started moving into the Tri-State Area on Saturday night and will last through the first half of Sunday. That's why the CBS News New York First Alert Weather Team declared a First Alert Weather Day for Saturday night into Sunday.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for all of New Jersey, New York City, Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut from 10 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Sunday.
Accumulating snow across the Tri-State Area will be followed by bitter cold, with freezing on roadways and dangerous driving conditions likely even after it stops snowing.
How much snow are NYC, Long Island and New Jersey getting?
While this storm is by no means a major one, it is delivering the first measurable snow of the season to the New York City area.
Recent Decembers in the city have been quite low in snowfall. It's probable that the snowstorm will deliver the most snowfall to the city during the month of December since 2020.
Here's how much snow to expect across the region:
- NYC: 2-4 inches in general
- Southern portions of Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island: 4-6 inches
- Long Island: 2-4 inches for the North Shore and 4-6 inches for the South Shore. Locally, higher totals are possible.
- Central Jersey and Jersey Shore: 4-6 inches. Locally higher amounts possible, especially in central portions of Monmouth and Ocean counties.
- Northern New Jersey, Lower Hudson Valley, and Connecticut: 2-4 inches
- Upper Hudson Valley and far Northwestern New Jersey: 1-2 inches
Timeline of snow this weekend in NYC area
12 a.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday: Prime time of the storm. As colder starts to filter in, the freezing line shifts offshore, changing all precipitation types to snow. The snow will become moderate to heavy at times. Snowfall rates may reach 1 inch per hour during the heavy bursts. Winds start to pick up a bit as well. Temperatures will drop into the upper 20s.
7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday: The storm starts winding down. Precipitation ends from west to east. A general 2-4-inch snowfall is anticipated, with higher amounts south and east of the city, and lower amounts northwest of the city.
As the storm departs, winds will increase, gusting between 25-35 mph at times. Temperatures will plummet throughout the day on Sunday, going from the 30s in the morning to the teens by Sunday night. Windchill values will be even colder with those elevated wind speeds, making it feel like the single digits and possibly a few sub-zero real feels out there as well.
This is the coldest start to December in 18 years with temperatures about 7.5 degrees colder than average.
The steep drop in temperatures will lead to the snowfall freezing rapidly. This may make road, and even sidewalk conditions very treacherous and dangerous.
Snow preparations underway across city
The Sanitation Department has issued a snow alert starting Saturday at 7 p.m. and lasting through 2 p.m. Sunday. That means highways will be brined before the snow falls to help reduce accumulation on roadways.
More than 700 salt spreaders are ready to be deployed, DSNY said. They will begin plowing when accumulation reaches 2 inches.
MTA officials said they will be monitoring switches and tracks to make sure they are working properly, and crews will be salting and clearing platforms. Snow-fighting vehicles will be pre-staged to help with snow removal, and bus service may be adjusted based on road conditions in and around the city.
NYC Emergency Management said a Code Blue will be effective from 4 p.m. Saturday though 8 a.m. Sunday due to the extreme cold.
The city will be deploying special outreach teams due to the low temperatures. They proactively check in on at-risk New Yorkers, making sure they have transportation and someplace warm to stay.
The Office of Emergency Management is also urging New Yorkers to check in on any neighbors who might need extra help with the cold and snow.
Click here to get the latest weather watches, warnings and alerts from the First Alert Weather Team.