Winter storm warnings are in effect for all of central and northern New York as a powerful winter storm moves into the northeast United States. Travel is expected to be treacherous late Saturday and Sunday as heavy snow will blanket the area, followed by dangerously cold temperatures Sunday and Monday.
How much snow will fall?
According to the National Weather Service, the storm's track has moved slightly north from previous forecasts. That means snow totals for central and northern New York have been increased slightly since Friday. The National Weather Service predicts 12-18 inches of snow for much of central New York, with some spots seeing up to two feet of snow by Sunday afternoon.
The winter storm is trending a little warmer, resulting in a northward shift of the snow-sleet/freezing rain/rain transition zone. This will result in less snowfall across southern PA, NJ, southeastern NY & southern New England, with the heaviest snow shifted a little northward. pic.twitter.com/VyylXIOau9
— NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) January 19, 2019
For the latest information on the winter storm impacting our area through the rest of the weekend, please see our briefing at: https://t.co/hToExLBfvh pic.twitter.com/vNWQTPceTH
— NWS Binghamton (@NWSBinghamton) January 19, 2019
When will the snow end?
The snow will be heaviest Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Snow will start to taper off late Sunday with light snow expected into the afternoon on Sunday. But as the snow tapers off, temperatures will drop from the teens into the single digits, and with winds expected in the 15-30mph range, wind chills on Sunday are expected well below zero. With temperatures that cold, road salt isn't as effective at melting snow, so road conditions aren't expected to improve much.
Should I go out during the storm?
Travel is expected to be trecherous late Saturday and Sunday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that trucks and buses are banned from the New York State Thruway and most interstates starting at 3pm Saturday. Travel advisories are in effect all over the region. Travel is not banned, but people are urged to use extreme caution if going out during the storm. In the city of Syracuse, residents are being urged to observe alternate side parking rules, and keep sidewalks clear of snow. The city of Oswego has institued a parking ban on city streets from 1-6 a.m. And a snow emergency is in effect in the city of Utica as of 6 p.m. Saturday. Any vehicles left on city streets after 6 p.m. could be ticketed and towed.
As this major winter storm begins to move through the state, I urge New Yorkers to take necessary precautions.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 19, 2019
Keep off the roads unless absolutely necessary to stay safe and allow our plows to do their jobs safely. https://t.co/wwIn45OQPv