The Bronx is under a Winter Storm Watch for much of the day Tuesday as forecasters say the all five boroughs are on the verge of their first legitimate snowstorm in three years.
Between 5 and 8 inches of snow, with heavier totals possible in some spots, are expected to fall across the city on Feb. 13, according to the National Weather Service. The heaviest snowfall will likely occur during the morning hours on Tuesday, with snowfall rates of potentially 1-2 inches per hour, accompanied by winds gusting up to 40 mph — making the rush hour commute rather dicey.
Ahead of the anticipated storm, Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City public schools will shift to remote learning for Tuesday — so no snow day for the city’s 1.1 million public school students.
While earlier forecasts had much less snow expected in the city, the approaching storm system is now tracking further south, which will bring more cold air and snow into the city — thus driving up anticipated snow totals. If the approaching low-pressure system tracks more northward, however, snow totals will drop considerably.
The winter storm watch is in effect for New York City on Feb. 13 from 4 a.m. through 6 p.m. Tuesday is also a special election day in two contests: the 77th Assembly District in the Bronx to fill former Assemblymember Latoya Joyner’s seat, and the hotly-contested 3rd Congressional District covering Rep. George Santos’ old post in northeast Queens and northern Nassau County. Early voting in both contests ended on Sunday, and the potential for heavy snow could drive down voter turnout on Tuesday.
For the entire city, however, Tuesday figures to be a messy commute. The Emergency Management department is expected to issue a travel advisory later today. The Sanitation Department will mobilize its fleet of more than 700 salt spreaders and over 2,000 garbage trucks equipped with plows to keep the roadways clear.
New Yorkers will likely be advised to avoid driving and use public transit Tuesday. Visit MTA.info for the latest details on service changes. Alternate-side parking rules have already been suspended for Tuesday; the Department of Transportation notes, however, that metered parking rules remain in effect.
It has been a very long time since New York City saw a snowstorm like the one predicted for Tuesday. The last time Central Park recorded a snowfall of more than 1 inch was two years ago Tuesday, to be exact, when 2.3 inches of snow fell on Feb. 13, 2022.
Earlier this year, the city snapped its longest snowless streak ever, at 701 days, when 1.3 inches of snow fell in Central Park on Jan. 16. That pittance of precipitation came on the heels of a study which connected the dramatic drop in snowfall in the northeastern United States with the impacts of climate change.
The anticipated storm also comes 10 days after Groundhog Day, when Staten Island Chuck and his fellow prognosticating rodents on the eastern seaboard predicted an early spring.
