Winter Storm Update: NY Nor'easter
NEW YORK - The powerful nor'easter that pummeled the New York City region moved out on Saturday evening, but not before dropping two feet of snow in some parts of Long Island and New Jersey.
More than 22 inches of snow had fallen by mid-afternoon in Medford, in Suffolk County, while Bayville, New Jersey, had 21 inches.
NY SNOWSTORM, NJ SNOWSTORM TOTALS
New York City was far from setting all-time records but still saw significant snowfall, with at 8 inches in Central Park.
Many flights at airports serving New York, Boston and Philadelphia were canceled Saturday, according to FlightAware. More than 4,500 flights were canceled across the U.S., though airports in the Northeast didn't report evidence of mass strandings, given that the storm was anticipated and many airlines called off flights in advance.
The LIRR is suspended all day Saturday and will resume service Sunday, while Metro-North is operating on an hourly schedule on its Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines. Service has been suspended on the Danbury, New Canaan, and Waterbury lines.
NY snowstorm: Planes, trains, automobile issues
NYC snow
The New York City Department of Sanitation said that its workers would continue to work 12-hours shifts to clear streets. Snow laborers would also be employed Sunday to help clear snow and ice from fire hydrants, crosswalks, bus stops, and streets.
"It's going to be a long fight today," NYC Sanitation Commissioner Ed Grayson said on FOX Weather Saturday morning.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul advised people to stay home and warned of below-zero wind chills after the storm passed. The state had declared a state of emergency Friday evening.
"This is a very serious storm, very serious. We’ve been preparing for this. This could be life-threatening," Hochul said. "It’s high winds, heavy snow, blizzard conditions — all the elements of a classic nor’easter."
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Police on Long Island said they had to help motorists stuck in the snow, and an elderly man shoveling snow died after falling into a swimming pool.
Elderly man drowns shoveling snow in Suffolk County: Police
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also declared a State of Emergency. He urged all New Jersey residents to stay off roads.
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Nor'easter NYC
The powerful nor'easter developed off the East Coast Friday before bringing heavy snowfall to New Jersey, New York, the Jersey Shore, eastern Long Island, and New England. (What is a nor'easter? Here is what you need to know.)
"Use caution if going out to shelve today!" the National Weather Service said in a tweet. "Although this is a drier snow, it is still important to use proper technique and protect yourself."
Long Island, Jersey Shore slammed by snowfall
The storm focused much of its fury on Long Island, with multiple communities in Suffolk County tallying over 20 inches of snowfall.
Medford had tallied a total of 23.5 inches of snow by Saturday afternoon, while Bellport reported 22 by the evening and Deer Park reported 21 inches of snow.
The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday afternoon that Suffolk County had blizzard conditions, as blowing snow and strong winds made travel almost impossible.
Power outages were minimal, however, with PSEG Long Island reporting just a few hundred customers without power by Saturday evening.
Multiple communities across the Jersey Shore also saw significant snowfall, with 21 inches of snow reportedly falling in Bayville, 19 in Linwood and 18 in Little Egg Harbor.
Explosive cyclogenesis
The nor'easter is expected to intensify into a bomb cyclone, a term used to describe a low-pressure system that undergoes "bombogenesis" – defined as a rapid pressure drop of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours or less – indicative of a very intense storm.
Winter storm timing
The snow developed late on Friday with the heaviest snow into Saturday afternoon. The snow tapered by Saturday evening.
The peak winds were Saturday morning into early Saturday evening.
The coastal flooding risk were expected to be highest at high tides on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Ocean storm impacts were greatest from Friday night until Saturday night.
Nor'easters in NYC area: What you need to know
A nor'easter, also known as a northeaster, is a type of potentially powerful storm that affects the East Coast of the United States and Canada. The storms are known for especially impacting the very heavily populated region connecting Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. Here is more you need to know about how nor'easters affect the NYC area.
With the Associated Press.
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