After a weekend of record-breaking highs and toasty temperatures more akin to spring, New Yorkers woke up on Tuesday to a winter wonderland, courtesy of a blustery nor’easter.

The precipitation started as rain late Monday, turning into a wet wintry mix overnight before transforming into dusty snow in the early hours of the morning.

As of about 8 a.m., amidst prime commuting hours for most, snow was falling across the Hudson Valley and parts of southwestern Connecticut at a rate of about 1–2 inches an hour, according to New York City Emergency Management.

These bands “will likely shift south into the NYC metro and Long Island over the next couple hours,” New York’s National Weather Service said. “Use extra caution or simply avoid travel if possible this morning!”

The agency further warned the heaviest snow will likely occur between 8 and 11 a.m., making a trip into the office trickier and significantly more slippery than most days. As of about 7 a.m., approximately 1.2 inches of snow coated Central Park, and there’s plenty more on the way.

“We want to tell New Yorkers: don’t be fooled,” Mayor Eric Adams told NY1 Tuesday morning.

“If you started out early today, you probably looked to say, ‘Well, it’s just a little rain. What’s the big deal?’” he continued. “No, this has the potential of being a big deal.”

Ahead of the storm, the nation’s largest school system in New York City announced it would switch to remote learning and close its buildings on Tuesday. A travel advisory is also in effect.

By the day’s end, the Big Apple could see up to 6 inches, more snow than city has experienced in the past 700 days combined. Just last month, some 1.4 inches of the white stuff covered Central Park, breaking an almost two-year long streak without any major accumulation.

The last time Central Park saw more than three inches of snow was on January 28–29, 2022.

Some of the highest snowfall totals were forecast for the northern suburbs of New York City and southwestern Connecticut, where 12 to 15 inches were possible, the NWS forecast.

Satellite imagery shows the massive nor’easter hovering over a expansive portion of New England as well as the tri-state area before moving out to sea around 4 p.m. Despite the serious snowfall, the impacts of the storm are not expected to last.

“This is a fast-moving storm,” Christina Speciale, a meteorologist for the weather service in Albany, New York, said Monday, “so things should be cleared out by tomorrow afternoon.”

Adams confirmed early Tuesday that “@NYCSanitation plows and spreaders” are already at work, cleaning up the city streets. The mayor added: “Please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. If you must travel, please use public transportation.

With News Wire Services