Northeast to get hit by quick but intense snowstorm in what could be New York City’s biggest snow in more than 2 years | CNN (2024)

FAQs

What was the biggest blizzard in New York? ›

It's hard to believe that this week marks the 132nd anniversary of New York's—and America's—worst blizzard on record. Few storms are as iconic as the “Blizzard of '88”. It was the deadliest, snowiest, and most unusual winter storm in American annals.

* Nor'easters

A Nor'easter is a storm characterized by a central low pressure area that deepens dramatically as it moves northward along the U.S. East Coast. The name came from the strong northeast winds that precede and accompany the storm as it passes over New England.

A Nor'easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America, so called because the winds over the coastal area are typically from the northeast. These storms may occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April.

The winter of 1880–1881 is widely considered the most severe winter ever known in many parts of the United States. The initial blizzard in October 1880 brought snowfalls so deep that two-story homes experienced accumulations, as opposed to drifts, up to their second-floor windows.

"The Blizzard of 1888; the Impact of this Devastating Storm on New York Transit". nycsubway.org.

A staggering 75.6 inches of snowfall fell on New York City in the winter of 1995 to 1996. A January blizzard dropped 30 inches of snow on Staten Island that crippled the city, contributing to the record-setting season total.

The 12-Month Long-Range Weather Report From The 2024 Old Farmer's Almanac. Winter temperatures will be above normal, as will be precipitation and snowfall. The coldest periods will arrive in late December and early and mid-February, with the best chances for snow occurring in late January and mid-February.

Officially, the National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm which contains large amounts of snow OR blowing snow, with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile for an extended period of time (at least 3 hours).

Snow squalls, often associated with strong cold fronts, are a key wintertime weather hazard. They move in and out quickly, and typically last less than an hour. The sudden white-out conditions combined with falling temperatures produce icy roads in just a few minutes.

Where are severe thunderstorms most common? The greatest severe weather threat in the U.S. extends from Texas to southern Minnesota.

Why is the North East getting so much rain? ›

“As climate change brings warmer temperatures, you have more water vapor in the atmosphere, which creates the right conditions for extreme precipitation,” says first author Christopher Picard '23, an earth sciences major and undergraduate researcher in the Applied Hydroclimatology Group at Dartmouth.

As these westerly winds are blown over Canada and the northern United States and because the land is cold, the air cools drastically. By the time the moisture in the air gets to the East Coast, it is cold enough to produce much snow instead of rain.

The Great Blizzard of 1888 remains one of the most devastating storms in US history, with a death toll of over 400. In March 1888, the Great Blizzard of 1888 hit the Atlantic coast. New York was pummeled by 22 inches of snow, closing down the Brooklyn Bridge, while other areas received 40 to 50 inches.

Winter 1935 (December 1935 – February 1936) Precipitation, in inches. Record wettest and driest is based on a 112 yr period of records, 1895–2006. The 1935/36 cold wave began in the plains states in November, when temperatures were well below normal in many areas west of the Mississippi River.

"The epic November 17-19th 2014 lake effect event will be remembered as one of the most significant winter events in Buffalo's snowy history," the National Weather Service office in Buffalo wrote, referencing the dates of the first storm.

The storm dumped nearly 20 inches of snow across the Northeast, with some parts of upstate New York recording over 40 inches.

It was March 13 and 14 of 1993 when the region saw snowfall rates of two to three inches per hour, equivalent to more than 35 inches falling in 24 hours.

February 5 to 7, it created havoc along the Eastern seaboard. In New York City, the 17.7-inch snowfall was the sixth largest since records began in 1869. Boston, MA, had over 2 feet, as did Providence, RI.