An arctic air mass settled over New York City and much of the country Sunday evening, bringing a deep freeze and the chance of more snow than the city has seen in three years.
Between 3 and 5 inches of snow was expected in five boroughs overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Up to 6 inches could fall in some areas, meteorologists said.
“It remains very possible that any coastal area in the advisory sees locally up to 6 inches of snow,” NWS forecasters wrote. “This will also likely depend on how much initial mixing of rain occurs and the development of any heavy snow banding.”
The snow started falling Sunday afternoon, with a slight mix of hail. As temperatures dropped, precipitation was expected to be all snow overnight before stopping around 1 a.m. Monday.
And while temperatures remained in the mid-to-low 30s Sunday afternoon, they were expected to dip into the teens overnight. By 7 a.m. Monday, the wind chill was predicted to be 9 degrees.
“Any untreated roads and walkways will be icy and hazardous after the snow ends Sunday night,” the weather service warned.
KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images
A worker spreads salt in Times Square before an expected winter storm on Sunday. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
While 3-5 inches of snow was predicted for New York City, coastal Connecticut and Long Island, areas further inland were expected to see 5 to 7 inches of snow. The Hudson Valley, North Jersey and southern Connecticut were also expected to see colder temperatures.
In Hartford, temperatures were expected to dip to 7 degrees by Monday morning, with a wind chill of minus-3. In Andover Township, N.J., the wind chill was predicted to drop to minus-9.
“We urge New Yorkers to take this storm seriously and prepare for hazardous travel conditions,” New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said Saturday. “If you must travel, use mass transit if possible, and allow for extra time.”
The last time at least 5 inches of snow fell in Central Park was in January 2022. In the intervening years, very little snow has been recorded in the five boroughs.
New York will just be one of many areas across the country dealing with freezing cold temperatures and precipitation throughout the week. A massive arctic air mass, caused by a disruption in the polar vortex, could reach as far south as Louisiana and Mississippi.
The National Weather Service issued cold weather advisories ranging from Montana to the Florida Panhandle. In northern Minnesota, temperatures were already tanking below minus-20 on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, parts of New England were expected to see up to 10 inches of snow from Sunday into Monday.
With News Wire Services
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