Snow continued falling across New York City on Sunday, with up to 5 inches possible by the end of the day.
After about half an inch fell in the city during the morning, 2 to 4 more inches were predicted for the afternoon and evening, the National Weather Service said in a Sunday alert. Forecasters predicted a brief slowdown in precipitation in the early afternoon.
The powder wreaked havoc on travel over the holiday weekend, with Kennedy and LaGuardia airports leading the nation in flight cancellations, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
At JFK, 72 arriving and 71 departing flights had already been canceled before the evening. At LaGuardia, 75 flights were also canceled in each direction, while hundreds more were delayed across both airports.
Forecasters initially predicted a maximum of 3 inches of snow over the weekend. But the storm system moved north and temperatures dropped Saturday night into Sunday morning, creating conditions for more snow.
“The snow will now be more widespread across the area into this evening as the coastal low off the Carolina coast slowly tracks northward,” National Weather Service forecasters wrote Sunday morning.
The highest morning total within the city was only half an inch at LaGuardia, though more snow fell in the northern suburbs. The highest regional total was 2 inches, recorded in Bridgeport, Conn., and Monroe in Orange County, N.Y., according to the weather service measurements.
City leaders advised people to drive slowly on the roads, take public transportation and expect delays throughout the city due to the snowfall.
With temperatures rising to around 32 degrees in the afternoon before diving below freezing later in the day, the morning snow could melt and refreeze in patches, creating additional travel hazards.
“Avoid unnecessary travel if possible,” NYC Emergency Management wrote on social media. “Use mass transit when you can and expect delays. Drivers should slow down, increase following distance, and watch for slick spots especially on bridges and ramps. Pedestrians should use caution on sidewalks and stairs.”
Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News
A trio of northern cardinals sit in a snowy Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on Sunday. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News)
About an inch of snow fell across the city on Saturday but melted quickly. However, Sunday afternoon’s snowfall was expected to remain on the ground much longer, as temperatures on Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday were predicted to remain well below freezing.
In Central Park, the high on Monday was expected to be 30 degrees, with an overnight low of 18. Tuesday high was expected to reach only 23, before dropping to 14 overnight.
