A blizzard warning is in effect for Recent York City, the first in nine years, as a powerful winter storm approaches the East Coast. The National Weather Service issued the warning Saturday, forecasting potentially crippling conditions beginning Sunday night and extending into Monday.
The storm threatens to dump 1 to 2 feet of snow across many areas, including Long Island, southern Connecticut, and coastal communities in New Jersey and Delaware, according to the National Weather Service. Parts of southern New England are also under a blizzard warning – the first in four years, CBS Boston reported. Snowfall totals of 6 to 18 inches are possible across the Northeast, with lower amounts expected in the Mid-Atlantic region.
More than 14 million people are currently under blizzard warnings, a figure highlighting the storm’s widespread potential impact. Meteorologist Cody Snell of the Weather Prediction Center described the scale of the approaching storm as significant, stating, “While we do get plenty of these nor’easters that produce heavy snow and strong impacts, it’s been several years since we saw one of this magnitude across this large of a region in this very populated part of the country.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to stay indoors and off the roads throughout the duration of the storm. This marks the second major snowstorm of Mamdani’s administration, following an earlier event that resulted in 19 deaths during a prolonged period of brutally cold weather.
The National Weather Service initially projected a less severe storm earlier in the week, but increased its assessment as the system drew closer. The forecast now calls for snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour Sunday night, with the possibility of rates exceeding 2 inches per hour in some locations. Winds are expected to be steady at 25 to 35 mph, creating conditions that the weather service warns will “make travel dangerous, if not impossible.” Scattered power outages and downed tree limbs are also possible due to the combination of heavy snow and strong winds.
Officials in Atlantic City, New Jersey, are advising residents and visitors, particularly those in low-lying areas prone to flooding, to avoid streets during the storm. Scott Evans, the city’s fire chief and emergency management coordinator, warned that snow accumulation will obscure potential flooding, stating, “So you won’t be able to see it until it’s too late, so therefore please stay at home.”
The approaching storm arrives as the region is still recovering from a previous snowstorm. The weather service also cautioned about the potential for flooding in parts of New York and New Jersey. The storm is expected to begin with rainfall in some areas Sunday before transitioning to heavy snowfall Sunday night.