Winter is right here and so is the white stuff.
Snow blanketed the New York Metropolis early Saturday morning, ushering within the first official day of winter in a very frosty style. Flurries first began to fall throughout the tristate space on Friday, fluctuating between flakes and rain for a lot of the day earlier than transitioning to a extra regular snow as temperatures dropped in a single day and into Saturday morning.
“Hard to believe: Today is actually the first day of winter!” New York Gov. Kathy Hocul wrote on X alongside some scenic metropolis photographs. “Happy solstice!”
MTA staff apply salt to the sidewalk exterior the F line subway station at Jay St. and York St. in DUMBO, Brooklyn, on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Day by day Information)
By the point the precipitation tapered off — proper round 10 a.m. — some 2 inches of snow had fallen in lots of components of town, together with Central Park, in response to the Nationwide Climate Service. It marked the primary vital snow accumulation within the metropolis this season, and the frigid temps arising this weekend may freeze it in to put for the approaching days.
Temperatures on Saturday are anticipated to peak proper round 30 levels earlier than plummeting to the low teenagers in a single day, in response to AccuWeather.
Sunday can be slated to remain fairly chilly regardless of the sunshine, with a excessive of 24 and a low of 15 levels within the forecast. And with winds of as much as 35 mph, it is going to really feel extra like the only digits and even subzero in New York and past.
Consequently, metropolis officers have issued a chilly climate alert whereas the Division of Homeless Providers introduced a Code Blue for the weekend.
“Outreach teams will canvass all five boroughs to connect our most vulnerable New Yorkers to shelters,” New York Metropolis Emergency Administration stated in a press release. “No one who is homeless and seeking shelter in New York City during a Code Blue will be denied. New Yorkers who see individuals they believe to be experiencing homelessness and in need should contact 311 via phone or mobile app and request outreach assistance.”
The bitter blast of arctic air — the remnants of a fast-moving climate system popping out of Canada referred to as an Alberta Clipper — will engulf the complete northeast by Monday, with temperatures beginning to climb on Tuesday. By Christmas Day, highs are anticipated to hit the high-30s with lows within the higher 20s.
Residents clears snow from a sidewalk in Rosedale, Queens, on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Day by day Information)
Regardless of the snow, the wintry climate has had little influence on flights amid the vacation journey rush. Metropolis officers have, nonetheless, warned of harmful driving circumstances for these heading house for the vacations within the coming days.
Practically 120 million individuals are anticipated to journey at the very least 50 miles by airplane, automobile or one other mode of transportation between this weekend and New Yr’s Day, in response to projections from AAA, which might make it the busiest year-end vacation journey season on report.
