STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City residents should prepare for significant snowfall beginning late Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the area, with snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches expected.
The heaviest snow is forecast to fall Friday evening between 4 p.m. and 1 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Snowfall rates could reach 1-2 inches per hour during this period, with isolated areas potentially seeing rates exceeding 2 inches per hour in the heaviest snow bands. Travel conditions will deteriorate rapidly Friday evening as the storm intensifies.
Friday will start cold with temperatures in the teens to lower 20s early morning, rising only to near freezing during the day. Wind chills Friday morning will be in the single digits to lower teens. Snow will begin to develop late Friday afternoon, becoming moderate to heavy by evening. The Weather Service notes this could be New York City’s first snowfall exceeding 4 inches since January 2022.
Light snow may continue Saturday morning before tapering off by midday. Temperatures on Saturday will struggle to rise above freezing but should briefly reach the low to mid-30s near the coast. Saturday night will remain cold with lows in the teens to around 20 degrees near the coast.
Looking ahead, a strong frontal system will move through the region Sunday into Tuesday, bringing rain and gusty winds. Temperatures will rise significantly during this period, with any frozen precipitation changing to plain rain. Wind gusts Tuesday could reach 35 to 40 mph out of the northwest, with wind chill values in the teens.
A weaker frontal system is expected Wednesday into Thursday, but current forecasts suggest it will move through without significant precipitation.