New York, N.Y. — A dangerous blast of Arctic air sweeps into the New York City commuter shed Saturday, hitting the I-95 corridor from New Jersey through the five boroughs and across Long Island, with wind chills diving toward 20 below zero by Saturday night. Northwest winds strengthen through the morning, pushing gusts near 50 mph along exposed roadways and bridges, sharply raising the risk for drivers and anyone stranded outdoors.
The National Weather Service in New York said a Wind Advisory runs from 9 a.m. Saturday through midnight, followed closely by an Extreme Cold Warning that expands through the region from Saturday afternoon into early Sunday afternoon. The cold peaks overnight Saturday, when the combination of wind and Arctic air creates frostbite risk on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.
Transportation officials warned that crosswinds along I-95, the Long Island Expressway, the Cross Bronx Expressway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway reduce vehicle stability, especially for high-profile trucks. Gusts intensify on bridges and elevated roadways, including the Throgs Neck, Whitestone, Verrazzano and Tappan Zee spans, where sudden blasts can shove vehicles sideways.
Impacts stretch across Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport and New Haven in Connecticut; White Plains, New Rochelle and Yonkers in Westchester; and throughout New York City, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. On Long Island, conditions deteriorate along the LIE through Nassau and Suffolk counties, affecting Hempstead, Mineola, Hicksville, Riverhead and Montauk, where open terrain amplifies wind.
Officials urged residents to secure loose outdoor items, limit time outside, and check on vulnerable neighbors. Winds ease late Saturday night, but the extreme cold holds through Sunday midday before temperatures slowly recover, ending the most dangerous exposure threat across the metro corridor.
