Snow, Rain Target NYC As Next Storm Takes Shape, Forecasters Say

NEW YORK CITY — New York City is covered in snow Wednesday morning as we gear up for a second round of storms this evening, according to the latest forecast.

The highest snowfall totals are in Canarsie and Flatbush, which both got two inches of snow.

Queens got a little less than two inches of snow near JFK Airport, and Central Park in Manhattan saw one and a half inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

For Wednesday night's storm, snow is expected to pick up the pace after 4 p.m., and turn to rain and sleet by 1 a.m. Thursday.

National Weather Service forecasters said that "a somewhat challenging forecast remains into Thursday as one storm continues to depart early this morning with a lull in the main precipitation. The next storm arrives later this afternoon and especially tonight."

During the day on Thursday, expect rain in the morning, forecasters said.

The city has suspended trash collection and alternate side parking on Wednesday and Thursday, so that the city can ice the roads.

The Department of Social Services has also issued a Code Blue Weather Alert, which will send outreach teams to get unsheltered homeless people into emergency havens overnight, the department said.

A Code Blue is issued when the temperature or wind chill is forecast to drop to 32 degrees between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Friday is expected to be a lull before a third storm takes shape on Saturday during the day. Snow will turn to sleet and rain over the weekend, and will clear out by Monday morning, forecasters said.

Here is the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of snow before 10 a.m., then a slight chance of snow after 4 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday night: A 100 percent chance of snow and sleet before 1 a.m., then rain and sleet between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., then rain after 4 a.m. Temperature rising to around 37 by 4 a.m. East wind around 10 mph. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday: A 70 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 46. East wind 6 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. West wind 11 to 13 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 35. Northwest wind 11 to 13 mph.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26.

Saturday: A 90 percent chance of snow before 4 p.m., then rain and snow. High near 39.

Saturday night: A 100 percent chance of rain. Low around 36.

Sunday: A 100 percent chance of rain. High near 46.

Sunday night: A 40 percent chance of rain and snow before 10 p.m., then a chance of snow between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.