Jan 21, 2013 Storm Updates

Below, storm updates will be posted on the light snow event currently affecting the area.

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9:45 PM: The main snow band is starting to shift east towards eastern Long Island and eventually offshore, as the back end of the storm moves east as the low pressure, currently southeast of Long Island, continues to intensify while moving further offshore. Heavy snow will continue for a while before ending in eastern Long Island within the next hour. Isolated snow showers are still possible tonight, although for the main part should add little, if any, accumulations. Totals have exceeded initial expectations in portions of Long Island, locally as high as 3-4 inches, although these totals are isolated with more widespread totals between a dusting an 2 inches observed, which was within the forecast range.

Conditions will become dangerously cold and icy tonight into tomorrow. With an arctic air mass moving in, temperatures will rapidly drop through the 20s tonight, dropping into the mid 10s to low 20s across most of the area and the low to mid 20s in NYC. Hazardous road conditions are possible with areas of black ice expected on wet roads and surfaces. Windy conditions are expected as well, with sustained winds up to 20-25 mph, resulting in wind chills in the single digits across the area throughout the day tomorrow, dropping below zero for interior areas. Stay tuned for a more detailed update tonight on the cold, as well as the upcoming Friday snowstorm.


8:35 PM: Over the last few hours, a heavy snow band set up over portions of southern-central NJ into central-eastern Long Island. With high snow to liquid equivalent ratios above 10:1, snow accumulations above 1 inch have been reported in this narrow band, with localized totals of near to slightly above 2 inches so far as snow continues to fall.

The back end of the snow is moving towards the I-95 corridor, and will take the longest to push through Long Island, where locally moderate to heavy snow will continue to fall through the rest of the evening, ending by at least 12-1 AM for most. By the time the snow ends, totals of at least 1 to 2 inches are expected for most, with localized totals above 3 inches. Further north and west, a few snow showers are expected with up to 1/2 inch, locally higher in some areas closer to the main band.


8:30 PM: Due to difficulties with Twitter, I was unable to post storm updates earlier today. Only blog updates will be posted tonight, starting shortly.