Weddings scheduled for Sunday evening across New York and New Jersey have been moved up by several hours, with nearly all simchos rescheduled to the afternoon, as a powerful winter storm threatened to bring full blizzard conditions to the region tonight into Monday.

Event halls and caterers have confirmed that all simchos originally set for Sunday night were shifted earlier in the day in an effort to allow guests to travel home safely before conditions deteriorate. With forecasts calling for heavy snowfall, damaging winds, and near-zero visibility, families made last-minute adjustments to avoid the peak of the storm. (See invitations below.)

The annual dinners of Mesivta of Long Beach and Yeshiva Gedolah of Passaic have been cancelled.

The Links Strings Concert, scheduled to be held tonight in New Jersey, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 24.

In Lakewood, NJ, Yeshiva Ohr Yehuda cancelled their annual dinner, which was to be held tonight, and Mesivta Ohr Chaim Meir has moved their dinner up to the afternoon.

To have your invitation or event details posted below, send it to [email protected]

A major winter system is expected to slam New York City and the broader Tri-State area beginning this afternoon, intensifying rapidly after sunset. Eyewitness News Meteorologist Jeff Smith warned that the storm could rank among the most significant snow events the region has experienced in years.

Forecasters say the storm could be the largest snowmaker to strike the area since January 2016, when New York City recorded its biggest snowstorm on record. The last blizzard warning issued for the region was in March 2017, underscoring how unusual this event is. Meteorologists describe the system as a powerful convergence of energy from the Ohio Valley colliding with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, producing a storm that resembles a winter hurricane.

By midday today, steadier snow is forecast to develop, especially from New York City south and west, with visibility beginning to drop. After sunset, temperatures will fall and the storm is expected to rapidly strengthen offshore, drawing intense snow bands directly into the region.

Meteorologists warn that snowfall rates could reach 2 to 3 inches per hour, with some areas seeing those heavy bands linger overhead for extended periods.

Most of the Tri-State area is projected to receive between 12 and 18 inches of snow. Localized totals could climb to 24 inches or more where the heaviest bands stall, particularly across Long Island and parts of the Jersey Shore. Areas farther north and west, including the Poconos and Catskills, are expected to see lower totals in the 8- to 12-inch range due to less direct access to the storm’s core moisture.

Blizzard warnings are in effect for Long Island, all five boroughs of New York City, Westchester and Rockland counties, coastal Connecticut, and much of New Jersey.

The storm meets the criteria for a blizzard, with winds expected to gust at 35 mph or higher, heavy snowfall, and visibility reduced to less than a quarter mile for at least three consecutive hours. Forecasters say the region could experience 10 to 12 hours of true blizzard conditions Sunday night into Monday.

Winds will steadily increase throughout Sunday, peaking overnight with gusts exceeding 40 mph across much of the region and potentially reaching 60 mph on Long Island. The combination of strong winds and wet, heavy snow raises the risk of downed trees and widespread power outages.

Road conditions are expected to worsen quickly Sunday evening. Officials warn that the Monday morning commute may be nearly impossible in some locations.

Snow is forecast to taper off Monday afternoon, though gusty winds and areas of blowing snow will continue to create hazardous conditions.

Temperatures will turn colder and breezy on Tuesday as cleanup efforts begin. Another system could approach midweek, though early projections indicate it will be significantly weaker than the current storm.

{Matzav.com}