Winter Storm to Hit NYC With 10 Inches of Snow

A winter storm headed for our area could dump up to 10 inches of snow in New York City and even more on parts of Long Island, bringing along with it a blast of arctic winter weather that is expected to freeze the region for nearly a week.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for New York City and western Long Island from noon Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Mayor de Blasio said the city has activated all of its emergency preparation systems.

Snowfall will begin late Tuesday morning, with the heaviest snow falling between Tuesday afternoon and evening. By the time it tapers off early Wednesday morning, between 6 to 10 inches of snow will be on the ground in New York City, and over a foot of snow on parts of Long Island, meteorologists estimate.

Bitterly cold winds could gust up to 35 miles per hour, and while temperatures will range between 12 to 22 degrees during the storm, the wind chill will make it feel as cold as 10 degrees below zero Tuesday night.

The blowing and drifting snow will cause hazardous travel and walking conditions across the area. Drivers are urged to stay off the roads, and if they must travel, keep a flashlight, food and water in the vehicle in case of an emergency.

The storm is the second one just weeks into 2014 to dump significant snow on our area, and arrives just shortly after a polar vortex brought record-shattering cold to the tri-state.