“Long-Lasting Storm” Drops 3 Inches Of Wet Snow On NYC, With A Bit More To Come

Another winter storm has landed in New York City, freshening up our soot-encrusted cityscape with 3 to 4 inches of slushy snow. While the heaviest bands are now behind us, meteorologists say there’s more wetness on the way.

As of 1 p.m., the National Weather Service had recorded 3.2 inches of snow in Central Park, with a bit more in New Jersey (and also, concerningly, Texas). Forecasters expect a “temporary lull,” followed by a manageable redevelopment of snow later this afternoon, making now a good time to grab a shovel.

Central Park pic.twitter.com/NueoBeTeKV

— AnimalMemorial (@AnimalMemorial) February 18, 2021

A bit more accumulation is expected through tomorrow morning, mixing occasionally with sleet — a less than welcome sign for the city’s sledding community. As it stands, the nice-looking powder collecting on your fire escape is quickly transforming into the sodden, melt-in-your-hands-and-boots variety.

Scenes from the peak of the snow rates earlier in Williamsburg, right before IP began to mix in #nycsnow pic.twitter.com/2sTSGgqIVC

— Chris DeVito (@ChrisDeVitoWX) February 18, 2021

But judging by height alone, we’re still on track to see the total 6-7 inches we were promised, according to Mitchel Volk, the Sanitation Department’s in-house meteorologist.

“There will be periods of snow and sleet for a while then it should change back to snow with some additional accumulations,” Volk told us shortly after 2 p.m. “This will be a long lasting storm so we should get that [forecasted] amount. Depending on the track and development of the next storm tomorrow will [determine] if we just get a little more or a few more inches on Friday.”

As a result of the snow, many of the city’s COVID testing sites are closed, and approximately 100 flights have been cancelled. The subways, buses, and Citi Bike all remain operational.