NEW THIS MORNING: Newark Airport has officially reached Blizzard criteria. Visibility has been reported at a quarter of a mile with gusts over 40 mph at times.

For Central Park, we've had visibility that meets blizzard requirements, and also gusts that meet it, but not enough consecutive hours together to be officially a blizzard at Central Park. The next 6 hours are expected to feature some of the heaviest snow bands bringing 2"+ per hourly rates likely. The biggest challenge still lies how close those bands get to NYC, which communities gets slammed and how long will it stay over a particular community.

LATEST SNOW TOTALS AS OF 2 AM:

We've already accumulated 7-12" of snowfall across the city with an additional 5-10" of snowfall expected through this afternoon. Don't be surprised of a brief flash of lightning and roar of thunder in any heavy snow banding in the coming hours. We've already had radar indicated lightning within this snowstorm at Central Park. A major winter storm has moved into New York City and will continue to pummel the borough through the morning. Snow has quickly accumulated and and travel conditions have become dangerous. A Heavy snow and very low visibility are happening now, making travel dangerous or even impossible overnight. Snow could fall at rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour at times. By the time the storm winds down Monday afternoon, most of New York City could see around 15 to inches of snow, with isolated higher amounts possible.

Strong winds will make the situation even more hazardous. Gusts could reach 50 to 70 mph at times, especially overnight into early Monday morning. These winds, combined with heavy snow, may create whiteout conditions and blowing snow that lingers even after snowfall begins to taper off. Power outages are possible, and residents should be prepared for difficult travel and potential disruptions to public transportation.

In addition to the snow and wind, coastal flooding is a serious concern for New York City. Strong onshore winds Sunday night may push water levels 2.5 to 3.5 feet above normal. This could lead to widespread minor to moderate coastal flooding around areas like New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay, and parts of the lower Hudson River. Some beach erosion and localized overwash are also possible. Flooding impacts may continue into Monday afternoon’s high tide cycle, though they are expected to be less severe than Sunday night.

After the blizzard moves out, the weather pattern stays active. On Wednesday, a passing system may bring light snow or rain to the city, but any accumulation should be minor. Another storm on Thursday could bring a mix of rain and snow, though significant accumulation is not expected for New York City at this time. Temperatures will remain cold enough for melting snow during the day to refreeze at night, creating icy spots on untreated roads and sidewalks through the week.