Middletown, New York – Drivers across the Hudson Valley could lose visibility within minutes this afternoon as a blizzard drops up to 15 inches of snow and pushes wind gusts to 45 mph through 6 p.m. Monday.
According to the National Weather Service in New York, a Blizzard Warning is in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday for Orange and Putnam counties. Visibilities may fall below one-quarter mile as heavy snow combines with strong winds. The heaviest snowfall and strongest gusts are expected Sunday night into Monday, with snowfall rates approaching 2 inches per hour at times.
Major routes including Interstate 84, Interstate 87 and Route 6 are expected to deteriorate rapidly, especially on bridges and higher elevations near the Hudson Highlands. Conditions will likely worsen ahead of the Monday morning commute and remain dangerous into the evening drive. Blowing and drifting snow could quickly cover plowed roadways.
Strong winds and the weight of heavy snow may snap tree limbs and down power lines, leading to sporadic outages in Middletown, Newburgh and Carmel. Officials urge residents to delay all non-essential travel and prepare for extended time indoors. If travel is unavoidable, carry a winter survival kit and monitor state DOT updates for road closures.
Snow will taper gradually Monday, but blowing snow may continue reducing visibility into the evening. The Blizzard Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Monday.
