New York City is bracing for a potentially significant snowstorm this weekend, with forecasters predicting accumulations of up to a foot in the five boroughs. The approaching nor’easter arrives less than a month after a previous storm left residual snow piles, now resembling coal mounds due to accumulated grime, clinging to sidewalks across the city.
The National Weather Service is forecasting a 50% chance of snow for New York City on Sunday and Sunday night, with snowfall potentially beginning as early as 7 a.m. The storm is expected to intensify rapidly on Sunday, bringing gusty winds, particularly along coastal areas.
While the potential for blizzard conditions has prompted comparisons to historic storms, New York City has weathered larger snowfalls in recent history. The largest recorded snowfall in Central Park history was 27.5 inches during the blizzard of 2016. More recently, a storm five years ago brought 17.4 inches of snow, while a blizzard warning was last issued for the city and Suffolk County, Long Island, in 2022.
Central Park saw nearly a foot of snow from a storm that began on January 25th, a figure that could be matched or exceeded by Sunday’s system. The city experienced a notable, though less severe, April snowfall in 2018, with over five inches falling in Central Park – the most for any April snow event in the city’s recorded history. That storm was the largest April snowstorm since 1982, when Central Park received over 9.5 inches.
The uncertainty surrounding the storm’s track is a key concern for forecasters. As FOX 5 NY meteorologist Liv Johnson explained, even minor shifts in the low-pressure system’s path could dramatically alter snowfall totals. The interior parts of the New York City metro area are expected to see between 1 and 3 inches of snow, while the east end of Long Island and the southern New Jersey coast could receive 3 to 6 inches.
Despite the impending storm, New York City’s winter began relatively mild. The city typically experiences its first measurable snowfall around December 7th, though the earliest recorded snowfall occurred on October 15, 1876 – two weeks before Halloween.
The city’s Department of Sanitation has not yet issued a statement regarding snow operations, and it remains unclear whether schools will adjust schedules in response to the approaching storm.
