Winter Weather PNS 3

Public Information Statement 
National Weather Service New York NY 
600 AM EDT Tue Oct 27 2026

...THIS WEEK IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

Please join the National Weather Service in promoting winter weather 
education including safety. 

The topic for today is heavy snow and snow squalls.

Heavy snow is defined as an average snowfall of at least 6 inches in 
12 hours, or 8 inches in 24 hours. 

A snow squall is a heavy snow shower accompanied by gusty winds and 
blowing snow, which is expected to cause a rapid drop in visibility 
to 1/4 mile or less and plummet temperatures sufficiently to cause a 
flash freeze. These quick moving events are rare in our area, but 
when they do occur can be life threatening, leading to multi car 
pile-ups on high speed roads. 

Coastal storms, also known as noreasters, can produce heavy snow. 
They usually form from October through April along the coastal plain 
from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mid Atlantic coast. The combination 
of low pressure moving northeast from those areas and high pressure 
to the north can produce strong northeast winds. 

Blizzard conditions occur, when there is a combination of 
considerable falling and/or blowing snow and sustained winds or 
frequent wind gusts to 35 mph or greater, frequently reducing 
visibilities below 1/4 Mile, for a period of 3 hours or longer. 

This season, NWS will have the capability to use "Particularly 
Dangerous Situation" wording in Blizzard Warnings. The use of this 
language will allow the NWS to alert the public and partners when 
there is high confidence of a blizzard that is of extreme and 
historic severity and poses an exceptional threat that is above and 
beyond the typical blizzard.

Several significant coastal storms have brought blizzard conditions 
to the region during the past decade... 

On February 22 and 23 of 2026, blizzard conditions occurred over New 
York City, Long Island, coastal Westchester, coastal Connecticut, 
and portions of northeastern New Jersey. Snowfall totals ranged from 
18 to 30 inches across much of the area, with whiteout conditions 
due to the combination of 2 to 3 inch per hour snowfall rates and 
wind gusts of 45 to 65 mph. 

On January 28 and 29 of 2022, blizzard conditions occurred over Long 
Island and southern Connecticut. Snowfall totals ranged from 18 to 
24 inches across eastern Long Island and southeastern Connecticut, 
12 to 18 inches across eastern portions of the New York City metro, 
western Long Island and south central Connecticut, with 6 to 10 
inches across western portions of the New York City metro, including 
urban northeastern New Jersey and southwestern Connecticut. Whiteout 
conditions occurred at times across eastern Long Island and 
southeastern Connecticut due to the combination of 2 inch per hour 
snowfall rates and wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph. Snow drifts of 3 to 4 
ft were reported across these areas.

On March 14, 2017, a rapidly intensifying low pressure system 
brought blizzard conditions over Long Island, portions of northeast 
New Jersey, the Lower Hudson Valley, and interior Southern 
Connecticut. Snowfall totals ranged from around 1 to 2 feet across 
the interior Lower Hudson Valley and interior southern Connecticut, 
with amounts closer to 1 foot in northeast New Jersey. 

On January 22nd and 23rd of 2016, a low pressure system developed 
across the southeast states and rapidly intensified as it tracked 
along the Middle Atlantic coast. Snowfall amounts ranged from over 2 
feet from northeast New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island to 
around a foot across parts of the Lower Hudson Valley and southern 
Connecticut. Blizzard conditions occurred across New York City, 
northeast New Jersey, Long Island, and southern Connecticut. A 
record 27.5 inches of snow fell at Central Park, which is the 
biggest snowstorm since observations began in 1869.  

On February 8th and 9th of 2013, a powerful blizzard brought 
extremely heavy snowfall to much of central and eastern Long Island. 
Snowfall rates up to 6 inches per hour during the evening rush hour 
stranded numerous motor vehicles. Lightning and small hail also 
occurred at the height of the blizzard. Snowfall totals of 18 to 34 
inches occurred away from the immediate south shore of long Island, 
causing partial roof, house and shed collapses. Brookhaven National 
Laboratory recorded its biggest single storm snowfall ever, with 
30.9 inches. Wind gusts from 45 to 75 Miles Per Hour combined with 
heavy snow to down trees and cause whiteout conditions.  

Last winter featured above normal snowfall, while the three previous 
winter seasons featured well below normal snowfall. Last winter 
season featured 43.4 inches of snow at Central Park. Meanwhile the 
2024-25 winter season featured only 12.9 inches of snow, the 2023-24 
winter season only 7.5 inches of snow, and the 2022-2023 winter 
season only 2.3 inches of snowfall at Central Park in New York City. 
The 2.3 inches in 2022-2023 was a record for the least snowiest 
winter since record keeping began at Central Park in 1869. The 
average seasonal snowfall for Central Park is 29.8 inches. 

For a detailed list of significant storms and snowfall 
amounts, visit our web page at... 

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OKX/STORMEVENTS

The next statement around 6 am Wednesday will cover ice storms.

$$