More than 2,000 flights have been canceled and New York City schools have been closed as residents ready themselves for a monster storm that will bring the rare phenomenon known as ‘thundersnow’ – just one day after the northeast enjoyed record-high temperatures.
With up to one foot of snow predicted to fall, as the weather system gets stronger, meteorologists have said that some parts of New York City could experience the rare meteorological occurrence.
‘Don’t be surprised if some people start reporting rumbles of thunder, as the system is strengthening,’ Brian Edwards, a meteorologist with AccuWeather told the New York Post.
‘Thundersnow happens when the cold air is rising very rapidly. It tends to take place on these rare occasions, when you have these big snow rates,’ Edwards added.
The Big Apple is still set to receive between six to 12 inches of snow, while parts of Long Island are still expected to see an inch or two more.
Edwards told the Post that conditions will likely be at their worst when New Yorkers wake up as the snow is projected to fall around one to two inches per hour, starting around 5am.
The storm is expected to make the morning commute ‘very, very treacherous’, according to Edwards, unlike the record high temperatures New Yorkers enjoyed on Wednesday.
More than 2,000 flights have been canceled and New York City schools have been closed as residents ready themselves for a monster storm that will bring a foot of snow and possibly cause a phenomenon called ‘thundersnow,’ just one day after the northeast enjoyed record-high temperatures
As the storm gets stronger, meteorologists have said that some parts of New York City could experience ‘thundersnow’. ‘Don’t be surprised if some people start reporting rumbles of thunder, as the system is strengthening,’ Brian Edwards, a meteorologist with AccuWeather said
‘Thundersnow happens when the cold air is rising very rapidly’ and it tends to take place on rare occasions
New Yorkers enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures Wednesday with Central Park alone registering at 62 degrees – breaking the record for the day set in 1965.
The same was the case in Philadelphia and Baltimore, cities that each broke their record high temperatures for the day set in 1925 and 2009 respectively.
New York residents were spotted taking in the sun in lounge chairs across the city, while many enjoyed a nice stroll in the park.
Others dressed in light jackets and short sleeves as they enjoyed street performers and or ate lunch outside.
The early taste of spring was to be short lived though, as the nor’easter makes it’s way towards the city with promises of snow and a slushy morning commute.
Airports in Pennsylvania, New Jersey north into New York state and coastal New England are expected to be affected by the snowstorm.
As of Wednesday evening, 2,293 flights for Thursday were canceled nationwide and nearly all were waiving change fees as the fast-moving winter storm inches closer to the Northeast, according to USA Today.
New Yorkers enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures Wednesday with Central Park alone registering at 62 degrees – breaking the record for the day set in 1965
The early taste of spring was to be short lived though, as the nor’easter is makes it’s way towards the city with promises of snow and a slushy morning commute
The airports in the Baltimore-Washington metro area could also be affected though conditions were not expected to be as bad.
‘Today (Wednesday) is a mixed bag, but tomorrow, the New York and Boston areas are most impacted with 40% of their flight operations cancelled,’ FlightAware CEO Daniel Baker said in a statement to USA Today.
JetBlue grounded more than 585 flights as the airlines busiest hubs, New York JFK and Boston, are each expected to get a half-foot of snow or more, according to the latest forecasts.
American also grounded more than 300 ‘mainline’ flights for Thursday and another 450 on its regional affiliates, according to spokesman Ross Feinstein…..more here