Old Man Winter’s Last Big Blow

The hype didn’t really live up to reality, at least around New York Harbor. For several days, local meteorologists were warning people of a nasty nor’easter with heavy snow and strong winds combining to bring big bad blizzard conditions to the Hudson-Raritan Estuary. In a worst-case scenario, some models were indicating that land around the estuary would receive well over a foot of snow and experience whiteout conditions.
 
Instead, the storm travelled closer to the coast and tapped into warm ocean water to produce a bit of snow, but a whole lot of sleet, slush, freezing rain, and just plain rain along the Jersey Shore, the southern shore of Long Island and up into New York Harbor. So much rain that some roads became flooded due to excessive runoff and poor drainage; and some local tidal flooding during the morning high tide due to strong east winds. 
 
Snow totals for many communities around the harbor were below 12 inches. Central Park received 7.6 inches, JFK Airport received 5.1 inches, Newark Airport received 6.7 inches, and Islip Airport on Long Island received 2.9 inches. Around Sandy Hook Bay, there were 2 to 3 inches of slushy, heavy wet snow to shovel. Too wet unfortunately to make snowballs or snowmen.
 
Up north in the watershed was where all the real snow piled up. Stony Point received 19.8 inches of fresh snow, Dobbs Ferry received 15 inches, and 13.3 inches of snow was dumped upon Ramsey. Farther up the Hudson River, Albany received around 18 inches with many towns getting more than 2 feet of snow. 
 
Wednesday morning was no picnic either. Many folks around the harbor woke up to icy roads, ice to scape off vehicles, and gusty cold winds. 

The winds of March came bearing a message - another week of winter. The remainder of this week promises to be cold, but with less snow. Could this be Old Man Winter's final big blast?

We mark the spring equinox on Monday, March 20, 2017, at exactly 6:29 A.M. EDT.  Less than a week away.