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A winter storm will hit the Big Apple on Thursday, bringing with it inches of snow, ice and bone-chilling temperatures that will intensify in the thick of the morning commute before warming up and switching to rain.
Forecasters declared a winter weather advisory for New York City from 4 a.m. until late Thursday morning – with snow expected to begin flurrying after midnight, mixing with sleet before shifting to freezing rain during rush hour, according to the National Weather Service.
“A brief time of freezing rain could lead to slick spots on roads as temperatures hover near freezing – so anyone driving or walking to work in the morning should take it slow,” Fox News Meteorologist Dylan DeBruyn told The Post.
“By 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, we warm up into our mid to upper 30s in the city — with all rain coming to an end by the early afternoon.”
By the time it’s done, the five boroughs and coastal Connecticut will likely see between 1 to 3 inches of snow, DeBruyn said, with western Long Island expected to get less than an inch due to slightly warmer temperatures.
The NYC metro area will also see a light glaze of ice but little to no accumulation is expected, according to the NWS.
Local officials are urging residents to use public transportation and limit their travels in the morning.
Winter weather advisories have all been expanded to include northeast New Jersey, Lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut until 1 p.m. Thursday — with up to two inches of snow and up to one-tenth of an inch of ice anticipated, forecasters said.
Over in New Jersey, the Department of Transportation issued a commercial vehicle travel restriction on most major highways, including Interstates 78, 80, 280, 287 and Route 440 starting at midnight.
The state agency also encouraged all motorists across the Garden State to avoid unnecessary travel on Thursday morning, with school districts either closing or delayed.
Several school districts beyond the city, including Westchester County, Rockland County, Connecticut and Long Island, have already announced delayed starts with few shuttering due to the incoming storm.
New York City Public Schools will remain open, with programs and activities, including school drop-off and dismissal, carrying on as planned.
On Friday, temperatures will hover around 42 degrees with a storm system expected to bring another round of snow, ice and rain Saturday night, forecasters said.
“We see a break in the active pattern for Friday before we watch another change for snow, ice and rain by Saturday evening,” DeBruyn said.
More snow is expected to impact the region on Tuesday night into Wednesday, the NWS said.
