A POWERFUL STORM could bring blizzard conditions and more than a foot of snow to some parts of the northeast US this week, proving that winter is not done yet.
Over two thousand flights have been cancelled across the region.
The National Weather Service issued a ‘blizzard watch’ which begins tonight and lasts until tomorrow evening for New York City and parts of northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut. Winter storm warnings and watches were issued for the remainder of the Northeast.
Meteorologists said the storm could dump 12 to 18 inches of snow on New York City with wind gusts of up to 80 km/h.
Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and help keep the roads clear for sanitation crews and first responders.
We’re preparing for a significant storm on Tuesday, and New Yorkers should also prepare for snow and dangerous road conditions.
Light snow is expected to begin late tonight and intensify overnight into tomorrow morning.
The heaviest snowfall is expected tomorrow morning through the afternoon, with snowfall rates of as much as 2 to 4 inches per hour.
The weather will improve later in the week – but the temperature will be hovering at around zero degrees for the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the city on Friday.
“This would certainly be the biggest snowstorm of the 2017 winter season in New York City,” said Faye Barthold, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island.
Boston also could get 12 to 18 inches, with isolated amounts of up to 2 feet across northeastern Massachusetts.
In Philadelphia, crews began treating some area roadways yesterday. The city could see 6 to 12 inches of snow.
The weather service said there is a chance the snow could change over to a wintry mix or rain for a time tomorrow morning, which could limit total snowfall amounts.
In Washington snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are expected.
Airlines have cancelled more than 2,000 flights scheduled for today and tomorrow as they prepare for the storm, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
USA Today reports that those numbers are likely to soar this week as the storm sweeps in.
The majority of preemptive cancellations were in Chicago, according to the newspaper. It’s expected many more flights will be cancelled in New York and surrounding areas in the coming hours.
- With reporting from Associated Press
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