With a potentially major nor’easter heading our way, winter storm warnings were issued early Friday for New York City, most of Long Island, areas north of the city and much of New Jersey, lasting until Saturday evening.
The region should expect moderate to heavy snowfall along with strong winds from Friday night through Saturday. A winter storm warning was also issued for parts of southern New Jersey.
The National Weather Service also issued a blizzard warning in New Jersey for coastal areas including Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington counties.
A cold front is expected to arrive on Friday morning, which may spark a few snow showers during the day on Friday. However, the main event is slated to arrive Friday night into Saturday. The frontal boundary will reinforce the extremely cold air setting the stage for snow to accumulate quickly.
Right now, there is confidence that a low-pressure system will develop in the mid-Atlantic and head north. The counterclockwise flow around it will combine the frigid temps to the north and moisture from the Atlantic to make this an all-snow event.
The amount of snow will be determined by where the center of low-pressure tracks. The GFS model indicates that the system will be far enough offshore with little no accumulation across the tri-state.
The New York City Department of Sanitation issued a snow alert for 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday morning; it’s the department’s “higher-level” winter weather message. More than a foot of snow is possible, the department warned.
Up to 18 inches of snow are possible on Long Island, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. The area could see blizzard-like conditions.
In New York City, northeastern New Jersey and much of the Lower Hudson Valley, less snow is expected. Between 6 and 12 inches are forecast.
