Winter Storm Stella was no longer expected to be the worst winter storm of the season, at least in New York City, where meteorologists Tuesday revised down expected snow accumulation.
Stella had been forecast to dump up to two feet (60 centimeters) of snow in parts of New York and whip the area with winds of up to 60 miles (95 kilometers) per hour, causing whiteout conditions.
But on Tuesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) revised down its predicted snow accumulation for America’s largest city, saying the storm had moved across the coast and was introducing more water air.
“We’re looking at four to six inches (10 to 15 centimeters) across much of New York City, maybe just over six inches for northern parts of the city, then lower amounts in Long Island,” meteorologist Joe Pollina told AFP.
“As you head north into Westchester and northeast New Jersey up to a foot is still possible for the north,” he added.
A mix of sleet and snow was falling over the city, where residents on the Upper East Side left for work on the subway and buses were running, while others shoveled snow off the sidewalk.
A wintry mix would continue to fall through the morning and into the early afternoon, then taper off by mid- to late afternoon, Pollina said. He said it was no longer the worst New York storm of the season.
State Governor Andrew Cuomo told CNN that city bus services and the commuter rail service heading north may be suspended later in the day.
The NWS said winter storm warnings were in effect from eastern West Virginia to Maine, while blizzard warnings were issued from eastern Pennsylvania to southwest Maine, an area that includes New York City.
In Washington, a messy mix of sleet and rain was projected to change to snow toward the end of the morning commute.
President Donald Trump’s meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been postponed from Tuesday until Friday due to the storm.
Federal agencies in Washington were opening three hours late, while schools in the nation’s capital were opening with a two-hour delay.
School districts in neighboring Maryland and Virginia were closed.
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