First Snowfall of the Season Brings Hazardous Conditions to New York City and New Jersey

The Tri-State area experienced its first significant snowfall of the season on Sunday, resulting in hazardous travel conditions across New York City and New Jersey. The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for parts of New Jersey and a Winter Weather Advisory for New York City and much of the surrounding region.

Snow began falling late Saturday night, with accumulations ranging from 1 to 3 inches in Manhattan and areas north and west, while Staten Island, portions of Queens and Brooklyn, Long Island, and central and southern New Jersey received between 3 to 6 inches.

In Carteret, New Jersey, steady snowfall continued into Sunday morning, leading to low visibility and slippery roads. Plow and salt trucks were deployed throughout the morning to assist with cleanup efforts. Ambrosio Hernandez, a worker involved in the snow removal, stated, "Yeah, we work almost all night."

Residents are advised to avoid travel if possible due to the slick conditions. New Jersey Transit reported delays of up to 30 minutes because of weather-related issues, and the Gladstone Branch rail service was suspended in both directions due to downed trees affecting overhead wires at Murray Hill. Air travel was also impacted, with Newark Airport experiencing delays of approximately 170 minutes due to snow and ice conditions. Departures at John F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport were temporarily halted.

The New York City Department of Sanitation issued its first Snow Alert of the season, initiating highway brining operations on Friday night to reduce snow accumulation on roadways. Con Edison reported over 400 customers without power citywide, with the majority of outages in Brooklyn and smaller numbers in the Bronx and Queens.

Conditions are expected to clear by Sunday afternoon, though temperatures will remain below freezing. High pressure is forecast to return on Monday, bringing bright but frigid weather with highs in the upper 20s to low 30s. A gradual warm-up is anticipated midweek, with temperatures reaching near 50 by Thursday.