Ice storm hits NYC, winter weather advisory in effect through Friday
A “nasty wintry mix” hit New York City early Friday as part of a winter storm system that’s expected to dump as much as a foot of snow on Albany and Boston.
A combination of freezing rain, sleet and snow snarled the morning commute and left roads in and around the tri-state area a “mess” that’s expected to clear up around noon, said Fox Weather meteorologist Seth Darling.
The Big Apple has issued a winter weather advisory that’ll be in effect until 1 p.m. as the storm heads northeast into the Capitol Region and Boston, which could see between eight to 12 inches of snow by 8 p.m. Friday when the precipitation is expected to taper off.
Accumulations in the five boroughs and surrounding areas will be minimal but travelers on roads and in the air should expect delays, slippery streets and hazardous conditions throughout Friday.
“You need to take it slow, it’s tough to treat as it’s going on,” explained Darling.
“When it’s raining and then freezing on contact it’s tough to keep up with that so I’d say the tri-state area almost needs to be more cautious with the wintry mix than you’d think with Massachusetts and everything with the snow.”
The storm has wreaked havoc across the US after cold air coming in from Canada mixed with precipitation from the Gulf of Mexico, leading to icy conditions across Texas and the midwest on Thursday before it turned north and started impacting the tri-state region.
Close to 1,500 flights were canceled Thursday as a result and as of Friday morning, 525 flights were canceled out of Boston-Logan and another 140 arriving or leaving from LaGuardia, according to FlightAware.
A mix of snow, ice, and sleet also hit parts of Pennsylvania, which saw about two inches of accumulation, and as the storm moves north, a few inches of snow are expected in parts of Upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.
Massachusetts and Connecticut have both issued travel advisories. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker urged commuters to stay off the roads and work from home if possible.
Conditions will dry up by Friday evening but temperatures in the Big Apple will remain cold through Sunday, which is expected to see a high of about 45 degrees.