Snow finally seen in Central Park

January 10, 2007

The first snow, which came on a chilly, blustery day, follows a period of unusual warmth throughout the Northeast and especially New York City. A shift in the jet stream, which carries frigid air from the Arctic Circle, appears to have spared the region the usual winter storms so far, meteorologists say.

For the record, flurries fell in the park at 9:55 a.m., when the temperature was 33 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. It was over in less than 15 minutes. New Jersey got more snow, with Newark Airport reporting an accumulation of 0.1 inch.

Brian Ciemnecki, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Upton, Long Island station, said, “You can still get snow flurries at 33, even 34 and 35 degrees.”

No snow is in the forecast, until perhaps Tuesday, he said.