After weeks of relentless cold and lingering snow, New York City is finally poised for a meaningful thaw, with meteorologists predicting that remaining snow and ice could disappear by late next week.

Temperatures began climbing Tuesday, signaling an end to the deep freeze that gripped the five boroughs for much of early February. Forecasters say readings will now stay consistently above freezing for the near future, accelerating the melting process across the city.

“The two most significant factors that lead to the fastest snowmelt include a warm wind over the snowpack and fog, with temperatures above freezing,” AccuWeather meteorologist Chad Merrill told The NY Post.

A stretch of milder, breezy conditions is expected to help erode the accumulated snow, including the towering piles left behind by plows.

“We will see a period of breezy wind with above freezing temperatures into Wednesday, so that will help with the melting,” he said. “The current snow depth in NYC is 5 inches, but of course there are snow-plowed piles that in some spots are quite tall.

“We will likely see all the snow and ice completely melt in the city late next week.”

According to AccuWeather, daytime highs are forecast to hover in the upper 30s and low 40s through the end of next week, offering steady relief from the frigid pattern that dominated the start of the month.

Forecasters indicate that temperatures could climb to 46 degrees on Shabbos and reach 45 next Thursday. Aside from the chance of a light wintry mix on Sunday and again next Wednesday, conditions are expected to remain largely calm.

Even overnight lows are projected to be relatively moderate, settling in the low to mid-30s most nights, with only a few dips into the 20s anticipated during the week.

While highs in the 30s might still feel brisk elsewhere, city residents who endured early February’s punishing stretch — including sub-zero wind chills over the weekend — are welcoming the change.

Meteorologists caution that one additional cooler spell is possible later this month, though it is not expected to rival the severity of the cold already experienced.

“Another period of colder than average temperatures return the final week of the month into early March, but even so, it will not be the same in magnitude to the cold weather we experienced,” Merril said.

The incoming milder air should finally eliminate the snow that has blanketed the city since Winter Storm Fern dropped more than a foot on Jan. 25, leaving streets and sidewalks buried for more than two weeks.

{Matzav.com}