LONG ISLAND, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for the Long Island and more than 20 counties as a rare blizzard is expected to hit Sunday, droppng up to two feet of snow and potentially causing whiteout conditions.
According to the NWS, the blizzard warning — the first in the area since 2022 — was issued for Sunday morning through Monday afternoon.
The region faces the threat of coastal flooding, power outages and unsafe road conditions as the powerful nor'easter barrels down. Hochul warned residents to take the blizzard warning seriously and make preparations to ride out the storm.
“New Yorkers are no strangers to snow and cold weather, but these blizzard-like conditions approaching New York City, Long Island and the lower Mid-Hudson will bring heavy snow and strong winds, with the storm forecasted to impact much of our state,” Hochul said in a written statement. “As with every weather event, our state agencies are equipped with the resources they need to respond to the developing storm and keep everyone informed. I encourage everyone to take action, stay vigilant and always monitor your local forecast for real-time updates.”
The emergency declaration covers Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Greene, Delaware, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester and contiguous counties.
According to the governor's office, up to two feet of snow is expected to fall on New York City and Long Island while regions including the Hudson Valley and the Capital area could see as much as a foot of snow.
Additionally, wind gusts reaching 60 mph could cause whiteout conditions on the road, especially in New York City and on Long Island, the governor warned.
With the declaration, the governor called up 100 National Guard members and put more than 5,600 utility workers on standby to tackle anticipated power outages.
Snowfall rates should be about 1 to 2 inches an hour, with higher rates of 2-plus inches an hour possible late Sunday into Monday morning, the NWS said.
According to Bryan Ramsey, meteorologist with the NWS office in Upton, although the blizzard warning goes into effect early Sunday, the heavy winds, with gusts of 50 to 55 mph, and major snowfall, are expected to slam Long Island Sunday night around 7 p.m.
On Sunday morning and afternoon, light snow is expected, increasing in intensity at around 4 or 5 p.m. Heavy snow is expected around 7 to 8 p.m. and is expected to last through the evening into Monday, he said.
The last blizzard warning on Long Island was in January, 2022, Ramsey said. "A lot of things have to come together for this warning to be issued; it's on the rare side," he said.
In order for a blizzard warning to be issued, he said, visibility must be at or less than a quarter mile, with winds gusting at least 35 mph.
Heavy snowfall and strong wind, with blizzard conditions will make travel "dangerous, if not impossible", the NWS said.
On Monday, Long Island Rail Road plans to operate on a Sunday schedule with modifications as necessitated by evolving weather conditions, the governor's office announced. Metro-North Railroad will run hourly service on the Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines and weekend service on the Connecticut and Wassaic branches. Subway service changes and delays are expected overnight Sunday into Monday, as express tracks are used to store trains underground during heavy snowfall, Hochul added.
Widespread minor to moderate coastal flooding is possible Sunday night and Monday morning during the high tides; areas of dune erosion are likely, with localized washovers possible where dunes are compromised, the NWS said. Gale to storm conditions and high seas are possible on all waters, the NWS said.
Source: https://patch.com/new-york/northfork/li-snow-update-blizzard-warning-issued-sunday-18-inches-expected-see-timeline-nws
