How to keep cats and dogs safe in the colder months
Some pets aren’t built for cold weather. Here’s how to keep your cats and dogs warm, safe and healthy this winter.
Problem Solved
- New York will experience a brief warm-up midweek before a powerful storm system arrives.
- A strong frontal system late this week will bring heavy rain, strong winds, and a sharp drop in temperatures.
- Arctic air will cause temperatures to fall rapidly on Friday, with wind chills potentially dipping below zero in some areas.
- Overnight lows are expected to drop into the teens or lower across many inland locations by the weekend.
New York will get a brief break from the bitter cold midweek, but it won’t last long. Forecasters say a powerful storm system late this week will usher in strong winds, plunging temperatures — and wind chills that could dip below zero in parts of the state.
According to the National Weather Service, high pressure moving offshore will allow temperatures to moderate Tuesday and Wednesday. Highs will climb into the 30s and 40s across much of New York, with some areas reaching the upper 40s by Thursday as strong southwest winds pull milder air northward.
But that warmth is setting the stage for a sharp reversal.
A strong frontal system is expected to move across the state late Thursday into early Friday. Ahead of it, rain will overspread much of New York, possibly falling heavy at times, according to the National Weather Service office in New York City. Winds will also ramp up significantly, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph possible — and potentially stronger along the coast and higher terrain.
Behind the cold front, Arctic air will rush back in.
Temperatures are expected to tumble quickly Friday, Dec. 19, falling from the 40s into the 20s within hours. Rain will transition back to snow, especially across interior sections and areas east of Lake Ontario, where lake-enhanced snow could become briefly intense.
How cold will temperatures get in New York? Map shows temperatures by region
As colder air deepens and strong winds persist, wind chills will be the main concern Friday night into early Saturday, Dec. 19-20, when temperatures reach their lowest point.
Across western and north-central New York, wind chills could fall into the single digits — and potentially below zero in colder inland areas. Even downstate and in the New York City metro area, falling temperatures combined with gusty winds will make it feel much colder than actual air temperatures.
Overnight lows are expected to be significantly colder than earlier in the week, dropping into the teens or lower across many inland locations.
- North Country / Adirondacks: Single digits to low teens — coldest readings in the state, especially at higher elevations.
- Mohawk Valley: Low to mid-teens — slightly milder than the Adirondacks but still well below freezing.
- Capital Region: Mid to upper teens — colder north and west, closer to 20° south and east of Albany.
- Central New York: Upper teens to low 20s — Syracuse, Ithaca and Cortland around 18–21°.
- Southern Tier: Upper teens to low 20s.
- Finger Lakes: Upper teens to low 20s — limited lake moderation overnight.
- Western New York: Upper teens to mid-20s — coldest inland, closer to the mid-20s near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
- Hudson Valley: Upper teens north to low 20s south — gradual warming toward the NYC metro.
- New York City: Mid to upper 20s
- Long Island: Upper 20s to low 30s — mildest in the state, especially along the South Shore and East End.
Snowfall snowfall totals: Search by address
USA TODAY’s snowfall map shows accumulation over the past 24, 48, and 72 hours, as well as seasonal totals dating back to Oct. 1. Updated multiple times a day, the map lets you toggle between timeframes to see how snow is adding up in your area.
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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com. Find her on Facebook here.
