What you should know
- Rain and snow are expected to hit the New York area on Thursday afternoon and possibly last through Friday night. Locations further north and west may see significant snow accumulation. Gusts of wind are also likely.
- New York City would receive mostly rain, but a winter mix is possible overnight which could make Friday morning travel difficult.
- Some areas may see more than a foot of snow, especially further north and west of New York City. parts of Hudson Valley they may see 8 inches of snow, while the city can expect to receive 1-2 inches of rain.
NEW YORK – A coastal storm is expected the development has affected the New York area with a winter hit of snow, ice and rain Thursday afternoon through Friday night that could leave parts of the Hudson Valley with up to 8 inches of snow and flood others from downpours.
Those farther west of the city could see the start of the flakes Thursday, but most of the unstable system, which just swept through the South and Midwest, is expected to reach the metro area in the afternoon and overnight hours.
As was the case with the storm earlier in the week, coastal areas and localities in and around New York City will remain above freezing and can expect mostly rain, about 1-2 inches, through Thursday afternoon. Coastal flooding is a concern, although snow and ice buildup north and west of the city are the biggest threats with this system.
The northern end of Hudson Valley you may see 6 to 8 inches of snow, while higher elevations can expect a foot or more. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph, with sustained winds between 20 and 30 mph, exacerbate the threat.
Rafael Pujols brings us the details from New Jersey.
Due to the extended duration of the snowfall (Thursday through Friday evenings), it can accumulate close to a foot or more, especially further north or west of the city. In NW New Jersey and the Hudson Valley, you can expect between 3 and 8 inches. Snowfall and icing are the big concerns.
The largest snow totals are likely to be found at higher elevations in the Poconos and Catskills, but we may also see parts of the Hudson Valley greater than 6 inches of snow.
Winter storm warnings are in effect for Sullivan and western Ulster counties in New York, as well as Pike County in Pennsylvania through Friday afternoon.
A winter storm watch has been issued for Orange County in New York. Sussex and Warren counties in New Jersey, as well as part of Passaic County and eastern Ulster County in New York are under winter weather advisories. Any of these areas could see snow accumulations ranging from 0 to 6 inches, depending on location and elevation.
Additional watches, clocks and warnings are expected from the National Weather Service later Thursday. Check here for the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood.
Locally, some snow showers may persist in the north and west by Saturday morning, but the storm will have mostly passed by then, leaving cold weather into the weekend. A few gusts from the north and west are still possible from Saturday.
Temperatures will still be in the cool 30s and 40s when it starts Hanukkah Sunday and will stay that way for much of next week.
Elsewhere in the United States, the massive storm system created blizzard-like conditions on the Great Plains and was expected to push more snow and ice to the Northeast. Residents from West Virginia to Vermont have been told to watch out for a possible significant mix of snow, ice and sleet. The winter blast dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of South Dakota and was part of the vast, unstable system that swept across the United States and killed three people in Louisiana.
