First Snow falls in Brooklyn as Blizzard Bears Down on City

The first few flakes of an expected 10-inch snowstorm started falling Saturday afternoon as New Yorkers prepared for a two-day whiteout.

Snow began coming down in the outer boroughs as the storm moved into the metropolitan area from the south.

It was expected to keep falling until around sunrise on Sunday, coating the city in the days before the winter’s official Dec. 21 start.

Accumulations of 6 to 10 inches were expected in and around the city, according to the National Weather Service.

The city suspended alternate side parking regulations Saturday in preparation for the first snowfall. The city also has 350 salt spreaders, 2,000 snowplows and 250,000 tons of rock salt at its disposal.

The MTA was putting its fleet of snow and ice-busting equipment into action to ensure minimal disruption to services over the weekend, officials said.

The fleet includes superpowered snow throwers, jet-powered snow blowers and de-icing cars.

“Cold weather is here,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “Hopefully, we’ll have a little bit of a white Christmas.”

Forecasters say a blustery Nor’easter will drop at least 9 inches on the five boroughs by tonight.

The heavens are expected to open in the late afternoon, the wind will pick up and temperatures will hover around freezing.

“It may take a good chunk of the day for the storm to get from Philadelphia up to New York City, but it’s coming,” said Accuweather meteorologist Tom Kines.

“This will be the first widespread significant snow of the season.”

The National Weather Service is predicting as much as 13 inches in some parts of the city.