Blizzard warnings expand as blockbuster nor’easter takes aim at New York City, Northeast

By Meteorologist Chris Dolce, Andrew Freedman, CNN

(CNN) — A high-impact nor’easter is about to crush parts of the Northeast with blizzard conditions, heavy snow and strong winds.

The forecast has been fraught with uncertainty for days, but has finally homed in on a major storm from the Mid-Atlantic to New England, including New York City, Boston and other big cities.

The storm will rapidly intensify into a bomb cyclone off the Eastern Seaboard beginning on Sunday, meaning we’re just a day away from the arrival of its worst conditions.

The latest

• First states of emergency announced in advance of storm: New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency to start at noon Sunday, as forecasts call for significant snowfall across the region. Just across the border in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced states of emergency for 22 out of its 62 counties beginning Sunday morning.
• New York City prepares for dangerous conditions: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned that conditions could be worse than last month’s winter storm. City officials are bringing in outside snow-clearing equipment earlier than they did during the previous storm, along with additional snow-clearing crews to keep sidewalks, bus stops and pathways accessible. More than 40 warming centers will open across the city, and dedicated outreach teams will ramp up efforts to get homeless New Yorkers out of the cold.
• Area officials brace for heavy impact: Hochul said the forecast has rapidly deteriorated over the past 24 hours and that the blizzard stands to become a “potentially life-threatening” and “historic storm.” She encouraged New Yorkers to stay indoors and to sign up for real-time alerts. In Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser will deploy the District Snow Team, consisting of 200 heavy and light plows, to hit the streets on Sunday in preparation for the snowfall.
• Blizzard warnings expanded: Millions of people in major metros from near Philadelphia to Boston are being warned of treacherous blizzard conditions. Warnings extend from Delaware and Eastern Maryland through most of New Jersey, New York City and into coastal southern New England. This is the first blizzard warning issued for New York City proper since 2017.
• Big snow totals: A foot or more of snow could pile up around Philadelphia to New York City and Boston. Several inches of snow will also fall farther south in the Mid-Atlantic, including in Baltimore with lesser amounts in Washington, DC.
• Major travel disruptions expected: Snow arrives in the Northeast during the day on Sunday, but the worst conditions will be Sunday night into Monday. Travel will be dangerous or impossible, including for the Monday commutes. Major disruptions are likely at major airports in New York City, Philadelphia and Boston.
• Power outages possible: Tree branches could be snapped and scattered power outages are possible because of heavy, wet snow and the force of strong winds gusting over 40 mph.

What to expect

Major to locally extreme impacts are expected from parts of the DelMarVa Peninsula into eastern Pennsylvania, much of New Jersey, the New York tri-state area and southern New England, according to the Winter Storm Severity Index from NOAA. This means travel will be dangerous or impossible and widespread closures are expected.

There are still some subtle differences in the forecast track of the storm that could make snow totals higher or lower in places, but the storm will pack a punch regardless. The most snow — potentially 12 to 24 inches — is most likely to fall near and east or southeast of Interstate 95 from around Philadelphia to New York City and Boston.

This would be the first foot-plus snowstorm at New York City’s Central Park in just over five years. A major winter storm about a month ago came close to that mark by dropping 11.4 inches.

The snow will be heavy and wet, the type that sticks to tree branches and power lines. When combined with winds gusting over 40 mph, tree branches could be snapped and scattered power outages are possible. Even higher gusts up to 55 mph are possible along the immediate coast.

The powerful winds will push ocean water onshore like storm surge in a hurricane, making moderate to locally major coastal flooding possible from the Delaware and New Jersey to Long Island and southern New England. Peak water levels are expected with high tide either late Sunday night or early Monday morning.

Timing the storm’s worst

It all gets started during the day on Sunday when rain and snow develop from parts of New York into the Mid-Atlantic. Rain will change over to snow as colder air arrives.

Conditions will go downhill dramatically Sunday evening into the overnight hours as the storm intensifies quickly off the coast. Strong winds and snow falling at rates of an inch or more per hour at times will expand north from the Mid-Atlantic to southern New England.

The storm’s worst will still be hammering areas from Philadelphia to New York City and southern New England by sunrise Monday morning. Travel will be dangerous or impossible in these areas, with blizzard conditions expected along the coast.

Snow and strong winds will ease up from south to north through the afternoon. By Monday evening, the storm will largely be wrapping up, but parts of New England will still be seeing the last of its impacts.

The-CNN-Wire
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