MIDTOWN — Ready or not, winter is on the way.
The city issued its first “snow alert” of the season for Thursday evening in preparation for the first flakes, according to the National Weather Service.
The precipitation will start out as rain about midnight before turning into snow after 3 a.m.
Accumulation is expected to be less than an inch, mostly on elevated surfaces like cars and railings, a National Weather Service spokesman said. The snowfall is expected to stop by 7 a.m.
Low temperatures will be around 34 degrees, with wind chills making it feel between 25 and 30 degrees, a National Weather Service spokesman said.
The city’s Department of Sanitation issued the alert and is loading salt spreaders, attaching plows if necessary and preparing tire chains, the agency said in a statement.
Daytime highs will remain in the 40s through the weekend, with lows hovering around the freezing mark, according to the National Weather Service.
The last time New York City had a measurable amount of snow was on March 3 when a tenth of an inch fell, the spokesman added.
