'Legendary' winter storm could hit NYC this weekend

Families stroll through the transformed landscape in Cadman Plaza Park. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle

CITYWIDE — Bitterly cold temperatures are headed to Brooklyn this weekend, hovering around 10 degrees Saturday and Sunday, with wind chills below zero, according to the National Weather Service.

On top of the Arctic temperatures, NWS is following a major storm that could bring as much as 6 inches of snow to the city. While exact amounts are still up in the air, the agency says its confidence is increasing in the potential for a “significant winter storm to impact the area Sunday into Monday with accumulating snowfall.”

The storm is expected to form in the nation’s Southwest as an Arctic air mass meets an atmospheric river from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in a nationwide winter event — the “biggest of the season so far,” the Washington Post reported. Early projections show it sweeping across the Southeast then up the East Coast.

The National Weather Service’s experimental probability map put New York City in the red zone as of Wednesday, indicating a 50-80% probability that a weekend snowstorm will warrant a Winter Storm Warning. (Purple equals a greater than 80% probability; yellow from 30-50%; and blue indicating 10-30%.) Map: NWS

Defense Department meteorologist Eric Webb posted on X, formerly Twitter, “We’re about to witness a truly legendary winter storm set up in the Southern U.S. later this week.” The storm could lead to a “ridiculous” amount of snow and ice across the South and parts of the East Coast.

While specific details on amounts, track and timing are still a bit uncertain, the latest blend of probability models for greater than 6 inches of snow ranges from about 50% inland to about 70% over the New York City metro area and coast, according to NWS’ Wednesday forecast. More details will be available as the weekend approaches. The cold temperatures may even tie or break records in some areas, NWS said, and will persist into the work week.

Brooklyn Heights resident Jessica Hoffman with Harriet, out for a stroll on an icy Promenade, on Martin Luther King Day. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle

City agencies warn of frostbite and hypothermia

City agencies warn residents to stock up on necessities before the storm, including medications, and to be alert to the signs of frostbite and hypothermia, which can develop very quickly.

NYC Health + Hospitals has put together a useful list of cold weather tips oriented towards health and safety, especially of children and seniors, who are most vulnerable. These include checking on neighbors; limiting children’s exposure to cold; and dressing in multiple layers. H+H recommends keeping at least a one-week supply of prescription medications on hand.

Other tips: Understand the signs of hypothermia and seek medical care immediately. (Symptoms caused by hypothermia may include shivering, increased heart rate, mental confusion, frostbite or blisters on fingers.) In addition, don’t use your stove to heat your home, and never use a kerosene or propane space heater indoors.

People gather on Washington Street in front of Manhattan Bridge during a snowfall, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in DUMBO. Photo: Adam Gray/AP

NYC Emergency Management is also urging residents to prepare, by assembling an emergency supply kit that will allow them to sustain themselves for up to seven days without power. (It might include items such as extra blankets, additional warm clothing and a battery-operated radio to monitor weather conditions.) NYCEM also suggests winterizing your car, and keeping emergency supplies like blankets and sleeping bags in the vehicle. Visit NYCEM’s Winter Weather page for full prep tips.

NYC Parks urges residents and visitors to exercise caution while near lakes, ponds, and rivers, and to stay off water bodies that appear frozen but are likely not, as venturing onto them is extremely dangerous.