A powerful and swift winter storm swept across the northeastern United States on Tuesday, creating a stark divide in weather conditions. While New York City endured a cold, steady rain, regions to its north and east were blanketed under heavy snowfall, leading to significant travel disruptions across the interior Northeast.
Rain in the City, Snow in the Suburbs
In New York City, midday temperatures lingered around 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), with the National Weather Service forecasting more than half an inch (1.3 centimetres) of rain. However, the situation was markedly different just a short distance away. The central Hudson River Valley and a large portion of New England prepared for a substantial snowfall, with predictions of six to ten inches. Some isolated areas were even bracing for up to a foot of snow.
Bob Oravec, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center, noted that the storm's most intense impacts were bypassing the major metropolitan hubs. "All the big cities are missing it today," Oravec stated. He emphasised the system's rapid movement, adding, "It is moving pretty quick. Even though it will snow hard today, it won't be a storm that lasts forever."
Widespread Travel Chaos and Weather Alerts
The storm's effects were immediately felt by travellers. By Tuesday afternoon, data from FlightAware showed that 3,184 flights across the United States were delayed, with an additional 146 cancellations. Periods of heavy rain and snow were forecast to hit major highways, complicating both air and ground travel throughout the region.
Weather advisories and warnings were in effect from North Carolina all the way to the Maine-New Brunswick border as the system raced northward along the coast. The impact was also felt in Canada, where Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a yellow snowfall warning—indicating moderate impact—for much of Nova Scotia and southern Ontario.
Clearing Skies and a Bitter Cold Follow-Up
The wet weather in New York City was expected to taper off by late Tuesday. Forecasters predicted a sunny Wednesday with a high near 41F (5C). However, this respite will be short-lived. A blast of much colder air is set to arrive later in the week, with Thursday night's low in New York predicted to plunge to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Boston was likely to see snow overnight, turning to slush by early Wednesday morning amid gusty winds. As the storm departs, frigid air will push into the Great Lakes and eventually spread eastward. Oravec warned that temperatures in Chicago could drop to a bone-chilling 4F on Thursday night. There is a significant chance that numerous cold temperature records will be tied or broken at more than 70 weather stations across the region on Thursday and Friday.
