(Bloomberg) — A winter storm sweeping across the U.S. Mid-Atlantic is dropping heavy snow on Washington D.C., shuttering schools and federal offices, and may bring light flurries to New York City.
The region from the southern Appalachians through the nation’s capital and into southern New Jersey could get 4 to 8 inches of snow (10 to 20 centimeters) and up to a foot is possible in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s snowing pretty well here in D.C. and the immediate area,” said Chris Strong, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “New year, new season, we finally got some cold weather.”
A winter storm warning is in effect from northeast Georgia to central New Jersey, and about 120 flights out of Reagan National Airport have been cancelled, or 28% of the total. Public schools and federal offices were closed for the day in D.C., with the reduced traffic making it easier for work crews to keep roads clear, according to Strong.
“If you don’t have to travel, it’s best to stay put for the rest of the morning and wait for the plow trucks to do their job,” said Nicole LoBiondo, a meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc. Conditions will improve in the afternoon, she said.
New York City, just north of the storm’s path, has a 50% chance of light snow before 4 p.m., the weather service said. Long Island could face heavier snow since it’s east of the city, with the bulk of the storm passing south of New York City out in the open ocean, Strong said. The city also faces a potential mix of rain and snow on Wednesday.
(Updates with comments from meteorologists in third and fifth paragraphs)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
