New York City, Northeast metros brace for heavy snow from potent nor’easter
(CNN) — New York City and other major northeastern metropolitans are bracing for a surge of snow from a potent and fast-moving nor’easter that is set to knock out power and significantly disrupt travel, work and school.
Governors in several states, including New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, are urging people to work from home and avoid non-essential travel amid concerns that blowing snow and heavy winds will create treacherous road conditions.
“Mother Nature is sending her love our way for Valentine’s Day in the form of a massive snowstorm,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday. She warned of dangerous morning commute conditions and possible power outages.
Parts of the Northeast, including New York City, could see the biggest snowfall in more than two years on Tuesday. Up to 2 inches of snowfall per hour is expected in the hardest-hit areas.
The exact forecast remains uncertain, meaning even small shifts in the storm’s path can drastically alter which cities feel the biggest impact. Recent forecasts show widespread heavy snowfall beginning early Tuesday for southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York and stretching into southern New England.
Ahead of the storm, New York City’s transit authority began preparing rail lines, bridges and subway systems, including outfitting buses with snow chains and positioning de-icing and debris-removal trains for outdoor tracks.
“People have been accustomed to a fairly mild winter, so take all the necessary precautions,” Hochul said. “If you can work remotely, that’s great, because we want to make sure that our roads are clear for the plows, as always.”
The heaviest snowfall is expected during New Yorkers’ morning commute and the city could receive up to 8 inches of snow by the day’s end, according to the local National Weather Service office.
New York City Public Schools will transition to remote learning on Tuesday. Elsewhere, classes have been canceled in several city districts, including those in Boston; Newark, New Jersey; and New Haven, Connecticut.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned people to “take this one seriously” as parts of the state are eyeing up to a foot of dense, wet snow. The state’s transportation commissioner, Fran O’Conner, urged residents to stay home and exercise “extreme caution” if they must venture outside.
In Massachusetts, where Boston could see up to 7 inches of snow, Gov. Maura Healey warned snowfall may become too heavy for plows to keep up with.
“Travel will rapidly become difficult Tuesday morning and last into the afternoon due to low visibility and snow-covered roads,” the National Weather Service in Boston advised. Clearing roads could take some time as wet snow coupled with freezing temperatures could lead to icing, the governor said.
Air travel across the region is already being impacted. Of the nearly 1,000 flight cancellations across the US on Tuesday, the majority are in or out of major airports in New York, Boston and New Jersey, according to FlightAware.
What to expect along the storm’s path
Light snow began falling overnight in central Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and New York’s Hudson Valley and will continue to grow heavier through Tuesday morning, making for slick and snowy road conditions for commuters.
Winter storm warnings stretch from the northern tip of Virginia through Pennsylvania and up the coast from New Jersey to Massachusetts on Tuesday.
The heaviest stretch of snow is expected to be quite narrow, and snowfall totals could vary significantly between cities separated by just 20 to 30 miles.
Up to 2 inches of snow per hour could fall across the impacted region through Tuesday morning – coupled with wind gusts as strong as 40 mph, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Power outages are possible as the combination of dense, wet snow and strong winds could damage trees and down power lines, the weather service said.
New York City is expected to see between 4-8 inches of snow, and similar amounts are forecast in Boston.
The bulk of the snowfall will wrap up in New York City by noon Tuesday and will continue phasing out through the afternoon as the storm presses northeastward.
The snowy weather will be quite a change of pace for the region, as many cities in the Northeast are dealing with their warmest winter on record. Historically, February is the snowiest month of the year for many of the region’s major cities because of nor’easters like this one.
Between 2-3 feet of coastal flooding is also possible during high tide from New Jersey to southern New England, including Long Island and Connecticut.
CNN Meteorologist Sara Tonks and CNN’s Rob Frehse, Sarah Dewberry, Nic F. Anderson and Celina Tebor contributed to this report.