New York City’s mild weather streak appears to be headed for an abrupt end as an Alberta Clipper brings cold weather and possibly snow with it from Canada.

“Many areas across the Northern Plains will begin the month of December with temperatures well below historical averages,” warns AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

According to AccuWeather, city temperatures early in the month could be the coldest since 2019, when highs in the first five days of December ranged from 36 to 42 degrees.

The National Weather Service defines an Alberta Clipper as a fast-moving low-pressure system rolling through the Midwest and sweeping across the Great Lakes, bringing strong winds, light snow and low temperatures.

New Yorkers could feel the cooling effects of this weather front through Thursday, when moisture is possible. Fox Weather warns that parts of the state that have already received some snow, such as Buffalo and Syracuse, could still see “several inches” of lake snow.

While parts of New York are prone to snow, the coast could see a mix of rain and powder. The coasts of Connecticut and Massachusetts should also prepare for this stormy mix.

New York City appears to be right on the cusp of a chance of rain or snow late Wednesday into early Thursday, although New Yorkers are more likely to need an umbrella than a shovel. If it does snow, accumulation is not expected.

On January 15, the city experienced its heaviest snowfall in nearly two years when 1.7 inches of dust fell on Central Park. According to the National Weather Service, this broke a stretch of more than 700 days without significant snowfall.

In total, the Alberta Clipper, which is rolling southeast from Canada, could hit 16 states.

Sunday marked the start of what weather watchers call the “meteorological winter,” in contrast to the commonly observed astronomical winter, which begins on December 21 this year. The meteorological winter, which always begins on December 1st and lasts 91 days, is statistically easier and more consistent to record.

AccuWeather predicts that up to 25 inches of snow will fall in New York City this winter, up from 7.5 inches last year.

Football fans watching the Buffalo Bills game at Upstate Orchard Park on Sunday saw the aftermath of a heavy snowfall that had already reached 5 inches by game time. The turmoil continued as the home team buried the San Francisco 49ers in slippery conditions.

Originally published: December 2, 2024 at 3:17 pm EST