Blizzard Warning Issued for New York City and East Coast
Blizzard warnings were issued on Saturday for New York City and coastal communities along the East Coast in anticipation of a late-winter storm expected to arrive on Sunday. The storm threatens to deliver more than a foot of snow accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 55 mph.
This blizzard warning marks the first for New York City since 2017. The city still has patches of ice remaining from a significant snowstorm that occurred nearly a month ago.
Storm Severity and Impact Forecast
The National Weather Service (NWS) has increased its forecast for the storm's severity, predicting snowfall amounts between 1 and 2 feet for New York City, Long Island, southern Connecticut, and coastal areas of New Jersey and Delaware. The NWS also indicated that flooding could occur in parts of New York and New Jersey.
“While we do get plenty of these nor’easters that produce heavy snow and strong impacts, it’s been several years since we saw one of this magnitude across this large of a region in this very populated part of the country,”
said Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center of the National Weather Service.
City Officials Prepare for Significant Snowfall
New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed the public during a news conference on Saturday, stating that the city could receive up to 20 inches of snow. The blizzard warning is set to begin at 6 a.m. on Sunday and will remain in effect until 6 p.m. on Monday.
“We are now expecting between 13 to 17 inches of snow, but there is a slight chance we may see up to 20 inches, if not more,”
Mamdani said, referring to the mayor’s office. He also noted that efforts to relocate unhoused New Yorkers from the streets into shelters would commence Saturday afternoon.
Recent Cold Weather and Vulnerable Populations
Earlier this year, at least 19 people were found deceased outdoors in New York City after temperatures dropped sharply on January 19 and remained below freezing for ten consecutive days. Of these, at least 15 deaths are believed to have been caused by hypothermia.
Storm Progression and Travel Warnings
Cody Snell of the NWS explained that the storm is expected to reach areas around Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning, then extend toward Philadelphia and New York City, finally arriving in Boston late Monday evening.
The weather service warned that the storm will “make travel dangerous, if not impossible. Scattered downed tree limbs and power outages possible due to snow load and strong winds.”
Public Safety Advisories
With the blizzard coinciding with the start of the workweek, Mayor Adams urged residents to remain indoors and avoid travel for their safety.
“I am asking New Yorkers to stay inside and stay off the roads for your safety. These have the potential to be even more hazardous conditions than we faced the last time around.”
In Atlantic City, New Jersey, officials advised residents and casino visitors to avoid streets during the storm, particularly in low-lying neighborhoods prone to flooding.
“I could go on and on probably with a good two dozen streets where we know we will get water and there will be snow on top of that,”
said Scott Evans, the city’s fire chief and emergency management coordinator.
“So you won’t be able to see it until it’s too late, so therefore please stay at home.”
