Tri-State Grinds Back to Life After Nor'easter, But Perilous Black Ice Remains

The ferocious nor'easter that tore through the tri-state area Tuesday, leaving more than a foot of snow, flooding coastal streets and ripping down poles and wires with 60 mph-plus gusts, has moved out of the region as concerns grow about a potential black ice threat that could hamper Wednesday's commute.

Wind chills were in the single digits early Wednesday morning, and gusts topped 25 mph at times, Storm Team 4 says. Temperatures were forecast to stay at or below freezing for most of the tri-state Wednesday as winds gust up to 30 mph.

Mass transit was slowly chugging back to life after widespread service suspensions and delays Tuesday. Above-ground subway service and limited Metro-North service resumed Tuesday evening, and mass transit was mostly expected to return to normal in time for the morning rush Wednesday. Check the latest transit changes here.

People who plan to catch a flight Wednesday after nearly 3,000 flights were canceled at the three major area airports Tuesday are being warned to expect heavy traffic on roads leading there. The Port Authority also says all flights at Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports are completely booked for Wednesday.

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Meanwhile, schools across the region were expected to reopen Wednesday following Tuesday's closure, though many delayed openings were possible. Check latest school closings and delays here. 

The governors in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut had declared states of emergency for Tuesday. New Jersey lifted its state of emergency by 6 p.m. Tuesday, and state employees are expected to report to work as normal Wednesday. All state offices will maintain regular operating hours, Gov. Christie says. 

A statewide travel ban in Connecticut was lifted by 5 p.m., and a travel ban on the I-84 in New York was lifted at 8 p.m. A tractor-trailer ban remains in place on I-81, I-86, the Northway, I-88 and the Thruway. Check the latest travel advisories here.

There weren't many serious crashes Tuesday considering the treacherous road conditions, though there were several reported in Suffolk County. A car crashed into a tree in Mastic Beach, fire officials said. Two people were hurt, though the extent of their injuries wasn't immediately known. Another car flipped and hit a natural gas post on Montauk Highway in Brookhaven, officials said. Both passengers refused medical treatment. The highway remained closed shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday.

Officials caution that the ice threat would linger into Wednesday, still making road travel difficult. 

Initial forecasts had predicted a foot and a half of snow for New York City, but models early Tuesday shifted west. That meant lower snow totals but more sleet and rain, which was expected to freeze overnight as temperatures plunge into the low 20s.

A 47-year-old Staten Island man was out shoveling snow around 1 p.m. Tuesday when he suffered a heart attack. He was taken the hospital, where he died just before 5 p.m.

But areas that were predicted to get the heaviest snowfall did get walloped: Orange County was slammed with nearly 2 feet of snow -- Montgomery was buried under 23.5 inches of snow -- and in Rockland County, Stony Point got 18 inches of snow while Suffern saw over 11 inches. Westchester's Mount Kisco got 14 inches of snow, and White Plains saw just over 10. 

Check the latest snow totals in your neighborhood.

In New York City, Central Park ultimately got about 7 inches of snow, while JFK Airport in Queens saw nearly 5 inches. Parkchester in the Bronx saw about 8 inches. Staten Island reported 4 inches. 

Northern New Jersey cities saw over a foot of snow, with Mahwah in Bergen County reporting 13 inches, Hoboken in Hudson County nearly 8. Wayne in Passaic County got 11.5 inches, while Elizabeth in Union County had over 9. 

In Connecticut, snow totals ranged from 7 to just over 11 inches in Fairfield County, and 7 to 11 inches in New Haven. 

Long Island only saw about 3 to 5 inches of snow but dealt with flooded roadways at high tide, as did towns along the Jersey Shore. 

Garbage collection remains suspended in New York City Wednesday, but beginning Wednesday evening, properly packaged material should be placed on the curb. The sanitation department says there will be delays as it catches up, and New Yorkers should clear snow and ice from sidewalks and from trash that's already out. 

Light snow showers are in the forecast for Wednesday ahead of a blustery and sunny day Thursday. Highs will be in the 30s throughout the week, with St. Patrick's Day seeing the warmest temperatures and a mix of clouds and sun. 

Last Friday, a winter storm system dropped half a foot of snow on parts of the tri-state. It's not unusual for significant snow to fall in March in New York City. According to the National Weather Service, the city has seen storms with accumulations of at least 10 inches in March five times since 1888.

New York City has seen significantly less snow this winter compared to last year. It has snowed 20.5 inches so far this season compared to 32.3 inches by this time in 2016, an amount that was buoyed by one of the largest snowstorms in the city's history last January.