NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — New Yorkers will be rockin’ around the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday night, but rainy conditions might dampen the festivities.
Afternoon sun will give way to clouds as it wind picks up, AccuWeather said, and the day’s high of 41 is expected to drop to a low of 37 on Wednesday night before rising once again.
It will turn rather windy with some rain and wet snow at times during the night, mostly after the tree lighting, but meteorologists say it will be a “mood setting” type of snow with no accumulation.
A slushy coating to an inch of snow is expected some areas near and northwest of Interstate 287 on Wednesday, affecting north Jersey and the Hudson Valley, AccuWeather said.
NYC Sanitation issued its first Winter Operations Advisory beginning at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. It said that salt spreaders will work on areas needing attention, if necessary.
A Code Blue is also in effect starting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday as temperatures are expected to be below freezing. Anyone who sees someone at risk is asked to call 311. During a Code Blue, shelter is available system-wide for anyone brought in by outreach teams or walk-ins.
Thursday will start off with continued precipitation in the form of a snow or rain shower. Heavier rain or snow could reduce visibility and cause slick spots north and west of New York City, AccuWeather warns.
A Wind Advisory is in place from 6 a.m. through 10 p.m. with gusts up to 50 mph expected in the NYC area. Sunshine will return in the afternoon with temperatures in the 30s, but wind will keep RealFeel temperatures in the 20s.
Due to the Wind Advisory, NYC Emergency Management encouraged New Yorkers to secure loose objects, watch for downed tree limbs and power outages, and to drive with caution.
The night will be blustery cold, with a low of 29 and RealFeels in the teens, and some clouds.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels announced that due to the high winds, it is banning empty tractor-trailers and tandem (piggyback, dual, triple, etc.) trucks on its bridges beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The ban is anticipated to expire at 10 p.m. but is subject to change.
Friday will also be windy and cold despite sunshine, with a high of 35 and RealFeels in the teens. Come the weekend, it is expected to be cold, but not as harsh, as sun mixes with some clouds and the high hits 39 on Saturday.
It will be milder at the start of next week with highs back into the mid and upper 40s by Sunday and Monday, AccuWeather said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday that her administration is allocating $100 million to enhance pavement resiliency across the state in order to protect New York roadways, bringing infrastructure improvements to 70 locations impacted by extreme weather.
“Between extreme heat in the summer, devastating winter storms and the ongoing saga of freeze-thaw cycles, New York’s roads take a pounding from extreme weather in all seasons, and this investment takes direct aim at rejuvenating some of the State highways most impacted by extreme weather,” Hochul said.
The Department of Transportation is already responding to snow and ice events all across New York, especially after a lake-effect snowstorm hit upstate over the weekend, and the governor said state highways being in good repair has the added bonus of making it easier for DOT staff to perform snow and ice operations.