Snow, Wintry Weather Forecast to Muck Up Thanksgiving Travel

After an unseasonably balmy start to the week, Storm Team 4 says a nor'easter is set to wallop the tri-state with enough snow and rain to make a mess of one of the year’s busiest travel days.

The coastal system will blow in early Wednesday, dropping light rain or a wintry mix on most of the region, according to Storm Team 4. By noon, most of the region except parts of Long Island and the Jersey Shore should see wet, heavy snow.

Snow is forecast to fall steadily throughout the day, making for hazardous conditions on the roads and creating the possibility of delays at the region’s airports the day before Thanksgiving. The snow is expected to be heavy and wet, making it very difficult to shovel and creating the potential for localized power outages, especially north and west of the city.

The roads should be sloppier the further travelers head inland, with parts of northern New Jersey and the mid-Hudson Valley forecast to see 7 to 10 inches of snow, with more accumulation possible in areas of higher elevation. Expect a slushy 2 to 4 inches for New York City, Long Island and coastal New Jersey, Storm Team 4 says. Accumulation in areas between the mid-Hudson valley and New York City should range anywhere from 4 to 7 inches.

The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for Wednesday in Dutchess County in New York and Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex and Warren counties in New Jersey. Most of the rest of the tri-state, including New York City, is under a winter storm watch for that period. The New York City Sanitation Department also issued a snow alert for Wednesday.

The wintry storm is forecast to leave the area late Wednesday or early Thursday, Storm Team 4 says, making way for clear skies when the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade steps off from West 77th Street. The winds are expected to die down enough for the iconic giant balloons to float through the midtown route.

Highs Thursday are forecast to be in the low 40s before dropping into the 30s Friday. The weekend is forecast to be partly sunny with highs in the 40s.  

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