What to KnowA blizzard warning has been issued for all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island and much of NJ as a classic nor’easter threatens to dump heavy snow and strong winds on our area.A blizzard warning is issued when there is expected to be for at least three hours sustained winds of at least 35 mph and visibility limited to a quarter mile or less due to blowing snow.Whiteout conditions are expected.Forecasts now show 12-18 inches of snow for the five boroughs, along with central Jersey and Nassau County. Some farther east may get as much as two feet.The blizzard warning takes effect at 1 p.m. Sunday and lasts through 6 p.m. Monday. A coastal flood warning will be in effect Sunday night as well. Cities and towns across the tri-state are making sudden preparations for a winter storm that rapidly intensified into a powerful nor’easter, threatening to bring blizzard conditions for hours and burying some places in as much as two feet of snow. Projected snow totals throughout the region are shocking, and have continued to rise as the storm approaches. The storm could begin as rainfall midday Sunday before changing over to snow, leading to quickly deteriorating conditions. Snow will begin light with slightly above-freezing temperatures, so accumulations through Sunday afternoon will be relatively small. The heaviest snow will happen after sunset Sunday and continue into early Monday morning before it begins to taper off. The latest forecasts from Storm Team 4 show that it could be one of the strongest winter storms the New York City area has seen in years. Almost the entire area can expect to see a foot to 18 inches of snow between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning as a result of the late-season nor’easter. Much of Long Island, as well as Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey, could get as much as two feet of snow. A blizzard warning is in effect in the city and throughout the region; It has been nearly a decade since the last time a blizzard warning was in effect for the five boroughs. Check the latest severe weather alerts for your neighborhood here. Snowfall rates could hit up to 2 inches an hour at times. Additionally, winds will gust between 30 and 60 mph during the storm, so blowing snow will be a problem, particularly along the coast. A blizzard warning is issued when there is expected to be sustained winds of at least 35 mph and visibility limited to a quarter mile or less due to blowing snow for at least three hours. Coastal areas are also at risk of flooding, particularly during Sunday night’s high tide on the Jersey Shore and across southern Suffolk Nassau counties. A coastal flood warning is in effect Sunday night for all areas near the shore throughout the tri-state. The storm will wreak havoc on roads and Monday morning commutes along the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston, with NYC squarely in the middle of it. Driving will be treacherous, if not downright dangerous, when the storm is at its full strength. New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency and urged drivers to stay off the roads if possible Sunday night into Monday. That includes asking those who have the option to work from home to do so on Monday. More coverage nyc weather Feb 21 When will the snow hit? See hourly radar for the weekend storm 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Feb 16 NASCAR on snow? This might be the coolest event of the Winter Olympics nyc weather Feb 21 How did we go from 3 inches to a blizzard warning in a day? We explain New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city would expand on efforts it used to deal with a major snowfall weeks ago. But officials held off on deciding whether to open schools Monday for the time being. “We saw on Friday there was expectation that the likelihood was that we were going to face maybe 3 to 4 inches of snow. Quickly that then changed,” Mamdani said. “So we want to make sure that we make a decision based on up-to-date and accurate information.” NYC brought in additional snow-clearing equipment from outside the city and planned to increase use of geocoding to keep track of bus stops and crosswalks that need clearing, he said. Many churches canceled Sunday services and other activities. To compensate, St. Veronica Parish in Howell, New Jersey, added an extra Mass on Saturday evening. “Please stay safe, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep one another in prayer during the storm,” the Rev. Peter James Alindogan posted online. So what changed since Friday morning? Models that previously showed the system farther offshore (like the European model) moved Friday morning, showing it hugging the coastline more. That is closer to the forecast predicted by the American model, which had been very aggressive on snow. The storm approaches just as the icy remains of a snowstorm that struck the region weeks earlier were finally melting away. The system will begin pulling away Monday afternoon, so conditions will begin to improve, with dry skies and sunshine taking over Tuesday. Stay with Storm Team 4 through the weekend as we fine-tune the forecast for you. The Associated Press contributed to this report. More stories 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Feb 16 SEE IT: Top drone shots, POV views, and cinematic scenes from the Winter Olympics 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Feb 16 NASCAR on snow? This might be the coolest event of the Winter Olympics 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Feb 19 No event is safe. Even indoor curling has been delayed by bad weather in Italy ...read more read less