New York City Braces for Major Snowstorm
A significant storm is looming, with forecasts predicting the potential for up to 16 inches of snow to blanket New York City, starting as soon as Saturday night. This could be one of the heaviest snowfalls the city has seen in years.
According to meteorologists, the broader area—including parts of the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and Connecticut—is looking at a total accumulation of 8 to 16 inches. If the snow reaches a foot in New York City, it would mark the highest total since February 2021, when Central Park recorded 16.8 inches over just two days.
However, Mayor Zoran Mamdani noted that it’s still uncertain just how severe the storm will be. At a news conference on Thursday, he commented on the unpredictability of weather forecasts.
“We anticipate rain to begin late Saturday or early Sunday, potentially continuing into Monday,” Mamdani said. “The snow forecast estimates between 3 to 12 inches. But, it could be under 3 inches, or could surpass a foot. New Yorkers are familiar with how often forecasts can fluctuate.”
The city is gearing up for the storm, with “snow pre-preparation” scheduled for Friday. This involves treating all major roads and bike paths with brine to help minimize snow and ice accumulation, and ramping up cleanup efforts once the storm passes. Mamdani also indicated that around 2,000 sanitation workers would be on duty in 12-hour shifts throughout Saturday to manage snow removal.
“Our health fleet is being converted to a snowplow fleet as we speak,” he remarked.
As of Thursday morning, weather officials anticipated snow to persist for several hours into Monday morning. In the Hudson Valley area, one local expert suggested that some locations might receive as much as 2 feet of snow.
Forecaster Ben Knoll indicated that there is nearly a certainty—about 100 percent—that the region will see more than 6 inches, with an 80 percent chance of exceeding a foot and a 20 percent chance for totals over 18 inches. They also noted that coastal areas in the tri-state region are likely to experience mixed precipitation, which could lessen snowfall amounts due to sleet and freezing rain during the storm.
