Winter weather coming to NYC: Timing, forecast and how much snow to expect

NEW YORK CITY - Could New York City soon see its first measurable snow of the season?

An incoming weather system is setting up the region for a period of potentially slippery travel ahead of the final weekend before Christmas.

JUMP TO: TIMING l IMPACTS l SNOW TOTAL PREDICTIONS

The leftovers of a fast-moving weather system out of Canada will move into the Northeast by Friday afternoon, bringing some of the ingredients needed for measurable snowfall. Meanwhile, a coastal low off the East Coast will bring additional energy spinning up off the Carolinas. How these two systems interact could mean more or less snow for some.

"You sometimes get what's called an East Coast energy transfer, where you get the energy from the clipper system that almost gets absorbed into this East Coast storm as this thing rolls up the coastline," FOX Weather Meteorologist Michael Estime said. "That means it could put places like Boston, New York, maybe Philly, in line for some precipitation, hopefully in the form of snow for some folks in Boston."

Weather forecast snow storm: Timing

The best chances for accumulating snow will be from Friday night into Saturday morning.

"Late in the day for you Friday into early, early Saturday, and then more cold air is pulled in after that," FOX 5 NY's Mike Woods said.

Following the quick shot of snow, temperatures will plunge through early next week into the teens and single digits across the region.

Weather forecast snow storm: Impacts

Impacts from the potential snowfall will be felt through Saturday along northern parts of the I-95 corridor. 

"A little bit of snow in the mix up to the north and west," Woods said.

Some areas in the Northeast could receive between 1 and 3 inches of snow, but New York City is less likely to experience snow.

However, don't yet count the Big Apple out for snow. FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar explained that the amount of snow New York sees depends on three ingredients.

"The timing of this is everything when you're trying to get a system like this on the I-95 corridor. How much moisture are we going to have in play? Where does that low set up? Where's the cold air? Those are the three ingredients," Minar said.

When does winter start?

Winter officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere on Saturday, Dec. 21, with the winter solstice – the day with the least amount of possible daylight and the longest night.

When is winter break?

Winter recess for New York City Public School students begins Monday, Dec. 23 and lasts through Wednesday, Jan. 1.

How much snow will fall in the NYC area?

FOX 5 NY's Nick Gregory predicts the city could receive around 20 inches of snow this winter, compared to the typical seasonal average of 28 inches. 

"We'll likely have above average temperatures this winter along with more snow than last year with somewhere near 18-23" but that is below the average snowfall for a winter in NYC," Gregory said.

Meanwhile, the lower Hudson Valley could see slightly more snowfall, with totals ranging between 20 and 25 inches, with more snowfall further north. Much of the winter may bring a mix of rain and snow along the coast, with heavier snow falling further north.