New York braces for gusty winds, lake-effect snow showers

A fast-moving cold front will sweep across New York City, the most populous city in the United States, late Wednesday, bringing gusty winds and the chance of snow showers, according to weather forecasts.

While there won't be much accumulation, the flakes and the winds might be strong enough to create some snow squalls that would limit visibility for travelers throughout the region.

There will be a wintry mix of precipitation starting early Wednesday night, changing to rain by Thursday morning, according to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS).

The storm, called a clipper, will bring its heaviest snow to the Great Lakes region. A few spots in northern Maine may see as much as 15 cm to 30 cm of snow. The hard-hit areas of upstate New York, where more than 165 cm of snow fell in some places during this past weekend's lake-effect storm, could see a few more centimeters.

More lake-effect snow continues to slam the Great Lakes areas in the United States on Tuesday with snow squalls, strong winds and winter storms.

The significant lake-effect snow event, which began late last week, has produced snowfall totals in excess of 90 to 150 cm across portions of Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York, according to the updates of the NWS.

Lake-effect snow continues downwind of the Great Lakes, winding down Tuesday into the night, NWS said.

Lake-effect snow occurs when cold air, often originating from Canada, moves across the open waters of the Great Lakes. As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere.

As global temperatures continue to rise and further warm the Great Lakes, areas in lake-effect zones will continue to see increasing lake-effect snowfall as a warmer atmosphere will be able to hold increasing amounts of moisture, according to a study by the University of Michigan.

(Cover: Snow is piled at a parking lot in Lowville, New York, the U.S., December 3, 2024. /CFP)