When I spoke with emergency management officials last year, they all mentioned the same frustrating scenario. People ignore storm warnings until the precipitation starts falling, then suddenly everyone rushes out at once. The roads become congested with anxious drivers, accidents spike, and stores run out of essentials just when people need them most. But here's what really gets meteorologists worked up about this pattern. Modern weather forecasting has become incredibly accurate, especially for major winter storms.
Residents should prepare for the worst of the storm late Sunday night, when snowfall rates could exceed 2 inches per hour. The weather service believes the heaviest snow will come down from 7 p.m. Sunday through about 12 p.m. Monday. The snow is expected to develop Sunday morning and afternoon, possibly mixing with rain at the onset before tapering off late Monday morning into Monday afternoon.
Bellerose, Queens: 9 inches as of 1:45 p.m. Washington Heights, Manhattan: 8.3 inches as of 1:45 p.m. Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn: 8.1 inches as of 12:48 p.m. Bay Ridge, Brooklyn: 8 inches as of 12:45 p.m. Dongan Hills, Staten Island: 7.8 inches as of 11:45 a.m. Central Park, Manhattan: 7.2 inches as of 1 p.m. Fresh Meadows, Queens: 7.1 inches as of 1:31 p.m. LaGuardia Airport, Queens: 7.1 inches as of 1 p.m.
