New York City is under a Hazardous Travel Advisory as a major snowstorm descends on the region, with the National Weather Service forecasting 12 to 20 inches of snow citywide, potentially exceeding that amount in localized areas. The advisory began Sunday, February 22nd and continues through Monday, February 23rd.
The approaching storm is part of a larger weather system impacting a vast swath of the eastern United States, with over 100 million Americans currently under some form of cold weather alert. Extreme cold warnings are in effect across much of the Northeast, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. Wind chills as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit are possible in areas of New York City, and even colder temperatures, reaching -40 degrees Fahrenheit, are predicted for upstate New York, particularly around Saranac Lake.
Officials warn that frostbite can occur in as little as 10 minutes on exposed skin given these conditions. The New York City Emergency Management department has issued a “Cold Weather Alert,” urging residents to prepare for dangerously low wind chills that are expected to worsen throughout the week. The city is bracing for snowfall levels not seen since 2016, according to city officials.
The extreme cold is being driven by strong winds gusting between 30 and 50 mph, particularly on Saturday. While Monday morning will still be highly cold, the winds are expected to calm, lessening the severity of the wind chill. A warming trend is anticipated later in the week, with temperatures potentially rising above freezing in New York City and Boston by Wednesday.
The Weather Prediction Center indicates that precipitation will continue across portions of the east-central U.S. Into next weekend, with some rain and higher elevation snow possible in the Pacific Northwest and the Intermountain West and Rockies on Wednesday.