Snow falls Tuesday morning: Will NYC see a white Christmas?

New York’s Staten Island. On Staten Island, the sight of the snowflakes falling Tuesday morning was joyous. A sight reminiscent of Christmas Eve was created when the icy precipitation collected on rooftops and tree limbs.

Bryan Ramsey, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said that although the snow is a treat for the moment, it might not last until Wednesday and lead to a white Christmas.

Ramsey predicted that the snow would stop falling on Staten Island by approximately 8:45 a.m., with the possibility of a sporadic flurry in the hour that followed. However, despite this possibility of precipitation, the meteorological service has only predicted that Staten Island will receive somewhat less than a half-inch of snow by the end of the day.

Could this additional fluff be added to any remaining snow to make Wednesday a true white Christmas? Perhaps, but according to Ramsey, there isn’t a good chance.

According to Ramsey, there needs to be at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning for it to be officially recognized as a white Christmas.

This morning, snow is approaching from the northwest, which could bring 1-2 inches of accumulation to regions north of New York City. They will start to wane as they go east, giving NYC and other eastward-facing places less than an inch. After the sun comes out, the weather will remain dry and cool until Christmas Day.S4rknSxmCq pic.twitter.com/

“Whether it meets the white Christmas criteria or not, it looks more unlikely, but it’s possible,” Ramsey said, adding that there is a chance that there will still be a dusting on Christmas morning. However, even though it will be above freezing today—you know, in the mid to upper 30s—it’s not like it’s going to be in the 40s, so the melting may not be too severe, so there may be snow on the ground at all, even if it’s only a trace.

Trouble for holiday travel

Even though there isn’t much snow in New York City, this new snowfall could cause problems for holiday travelers.

According to AccuWeather, there will probably be delays and travel risks on the roadways before Christmas. AccuWeather advises that the snow may cause flight delays in addition to slower traffic on the roads.

Upstate New York may receive three to six inches of snow, with some locations perhaps receiving up to a foot.

According to AccuWeather, even a small amount of rain or snow could cause hazardous driving conditions in places where the temperature drops below freezing.

According to Ramsey, Christmas in New York City will be bright and dry, with highs in the 30s; in Staten Island, temperatures are expected to reach 36 degrees Fahrenheit.