Cold Days Ahead

Through yesterday, this month was on pace to be the tenth warmest February recorded in Central Park. Cooler conditions today, and especially tomorrow, will put a kibosh on any top ten dreams the month may have had. This morning's brisk winds are in advance of an approaching Alberta Clipper that will pass through the area this evening. As the clipper gets closer skies will cloud up and there's an outside chance of a few flurries. The system is pretty weak and clouds will dissipate later in the evening. With any luck the sky will clear enough to make viewing tonight's lunar eclipse possible. More on the eclipse later!

The robin Gothamist saw this morning is going to regret returning to New York so soon. Thursday is going to be cold, or what passes for cold this winter. Expect a high only around the freezing mark. A stiff wind will make it feel 10-15 degrees cooler than that.

There's much uncertainty to Friday's forecast. The high temperature will only make it to the mid-30s, if that. The uncertainty lies in the timing, type and amount of precipitation as a low pressure system passes to the south. AccuWeather is calling for 2-4 inches of snow. The Weather Service does not appear confident enough in the forecast to mention snow accumulation and is sticking with a wintry mix of snow, changing to rain in the afternoon and back to snow in the evening. A gradual clearing and warming is expected over the weekend.

Tonight's predicted cloud cover graphic from the National Weather Service