The first week of January has come and gone, and with that, a snowstorm alert for the weekend came along as well. For many, this winter didn’t feel like its usual season, with warmer weather and sunnier skies. However, with this alert, many have said that now marks the arrival of the 2023-2024 winter season. Though, New Yorkers did not receive a white Christmas, they did receive some flakes the weeks following.
On Jan. 5, early Friday morning, salt had already been sprinkled on the bus stops in anticipation of the snowstorm. New York had been preparing all week for the upcoming storm to hit that weekend. A customer in a Shop-Rite Supermarket shared, “I’ve been checking the news everyday to see any updates on the weather. I also came to buy more food in case we can’t go out on Saturday.”
“We’re buying cans of soup and hot chocolate. Nothing beats hot chocolate on a snow day, my kids and I love it,” he beamed.
Another New Yorker, walking along Main Street, added, “Time to get the shovels out. I hope there won’t be so much snow, I don’t want to spend too much time outside. At the same time, I want there to be enough snow to take pictures outside.”
On Saturday Jan. 6, at approximately 3:00 p.m., snow began falling. Though, once it fell to the ground, it quickly melted away. The snowfall was a mix of snow and rain, which turned into slush on the ground, and not the kind to make slushies with.
Orange County, however, had two inches of snow fall. Within an hour, at least half a foot of snow had fallen. Snow plows had begun cleaning the streets that were blanketed by snow. Cars had to lower their driving speed, since there was slush in the streets, however because the temperature had stayed in the range of 35-39 degrees, there have been no ice caps in the roads and highways. Albany and upstate New York saw way more snow, with at least six inches on the ground.
By Sunday, Jan. 7, the snow had stopped and the rain began to fall. This helped clear up whatever little snow was left on cars and the streets of New York City. The day continued on with light rainfall.
Although the weekend snowstorm was hardly a storm at best, it did become the first snowstorm that New York City has seen since 2022. And, who knows, we might get more snow later on in our 2024 winter months.
