A Severe Weather Alert has been issued and two warnings have been posted by the National Weather Service, and important portions are highlighted below:
Severe Weather Alert
Winter Weather Advisory for Hudson County, NJ
from 6 am EST, Wed., Dec. 31, 2008 until 5 pm EST, Wed., Dec. 31, 2008
Issued by The National Weather Service
New York City, NY
4:47 am EST, Wed., Dec. 31, 2008
... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON.
SNOW WILL BEGIN EARLY THIS MORNING... POSSIBLY MIXING WITH OR CHANGING TO RAIN DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON... WITH A BURST OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED BEFORE TAPERING OFF LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON... USHERING AN ARCTIC AIRMASS INTO THE REGION. THIS IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE A FLASH FREEZE OF ANY SLUSH OR WATERS ON ROADWAYS WHICH WILL MAKE FOR TREACHEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS DURING THE EVENING COMMUTE. IN ADDITION A BRIEF PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH ANY FALLING SNOW AND STRONG WINDS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IS EXPECTED... WITH HIGHEST AMOUNTS THE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE OCEAN.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW... SLEET... OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
More Information
... A FAST MOVING BUT INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION TODAY...
.LOW PRESSURE WILL RAPIDLY DEEPEN AS IT TRACKS EAST... JUST SOUTH OF LONG ISLAND... TODAY. WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION THIS MORNING... CHANGING TO ALL SNOW EARLY THIS AFTERNOON... BEFORE TAPERING OFF LATE IN THE DAY.
High Wind Warning for Hudson County, NJ
from 1 pm EST, Wed., Dec. 31, 2008 until 12 am EST, Thu., Jan. 1, 2009
Issued by The National Weather Service
New York City, NY
8:27 am EST, Wed., Dec. 31, 2008
... HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT.
EASTERLY WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST AS RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE PASSES EAST OF THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE THE WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON... THEY WILL QUICKLY INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH... CONTINUING INTO TONIGHT. DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM... .LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING... A 1 TO 3 HOUR PERIOD OF 30 TO 40 MPH WINDS WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH IS LIKELY.
THESE TYPE OF WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN TREES... TREE LIMBS AND WIRES... AS WELL AS DESTROYING LOOSE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS AND OTHER UNSECURED OUTDOOR ITEMS.
DRIVING WILL ALSO BE DIFFICULT IN THE HIGH WINDS... ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES AND OVER BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. NOT TO MENTION... BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE NEWLY FALLEN SNOW WILL MAKE FOR HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS AS WELL.
IN ADDITION... THESE WINDS WILL BE USHERING AN ARCTIC AIRMASS INTO THE REGION... WHICH WILL HAVE WIND CHILL READINGS FALLING TO FIVE TO FIVE BELOW ZERO BY MIDNIGHT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.
More Information
... STRONG WINDS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT...
.LOW PRESSURE WILL RAPIDLY DEEPEN AS IT TRACKS EAST... JUST SOUTH OF LONG ISLAND... TODAY. THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT IN ITS WAKE WILL PRODUCE STRONG AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.
