A fast-moving winter storm is expected to drop snow across the Northeast on Sunday, with at least half a foot expected from Maryland to Maine, forecasters at the National Weather Service said on Saturday.
The heaviest band of snow is likely to fall north and west of Interstate 95, with up to eight inches possible, according to the Weather Service, which placed large portions of the Northeast under winter storm warnings or winter weather advisories.
The New York City metropolitan area, which could receive up to five inches, will be under a winter weather advisory that begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday and will continue until the early hours of Monday morning, the service said.
The farther inland parts of New York will be under a winter storm warning during that time and could get seven or eight inches of snow.
Mayor Eric Adams said in a post on social media that salt spreaders and snow plows were ready for the “moderate snow” but asked people to take public transit when possible.
It has been years since New York City has seen as much snowfall as forecasts are predicting for this weekend. A couple of inches of snow fell on the city this time last year, breaking a streak of nearly two years without significant accumulation. The city saw less than eight inches of snow all of last year, and less than three inches of snow between 2022 and 2023.
Some areas could see snowfall rates of one inch per hour at times.
Heavy lake-effect snow is also expected on the eastern shores of the Great Lakes.
Forecasters said the snowstorm would start in the Appalachian Mountains early on Sunday, move northeast across the region through the day and clear out by Monday morning.
Behind the storm is a mass of arctic air that is expected to bring several days of frigid weather to much of the country, starting on Monday.
The forecast prompted organizers of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday to move the event indoors. Washington will be under a winter weather advisory beginning on Sunday, the Weather Service said, and a part of Northern Virginia will be under a winter storm warning.
States along the southern coast from Eastern Texas, up through North Carolina, are also expecting snow and freezing rain starting on Monday and going into Tuesday.
Portions of Louisiana will see two to four inches of snow and Northern Alabama is expecting temperatures to hit lows of 8 to 12 degrees, the National Weather Service said.
Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana declared a state of emergency from Monday until Thursday to help the area prepare for the rare winter weather.
