Tri-State Area Gets Drenched, Mostly Expected To Escape Snow

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Tri-State was getting soaked Wednesday night and some snow is headed our way overnight.

While New York and New Jersey were gearing up for wintry weather into Thursday, heavy rain, ahead of what is expected to be a quick-moving snow system, was the real story.

In New Jersey, a winter weather advisory is in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday for Sussex County. A flood watch is also in effect for New York City and nearby suburbs until 7 a.m.

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Gusty winds expected overnight have also prompted a wind advisory for New York City, Long Island, southern Westchester and southern Connecticut from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.

The New York City Department of Sanitation issued a "snow alert" Wednesday afternoon. As a result, DSNY personnel are getting their equipment ready. They're loading salt into spreaders, hooking up plows and so forth.

"The temperature is not supposed to go below freezing and the ground is still warm. So I don't expect to see anything on the roadways, but we're going to be ready.  We have the personnel, we have our salt spreaders loaded and everybody's got their orders for the night should the rain turn into snow before and into the morning," Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty told 1010 WINS.

Forecasters said rain is expected to change to snow overnight and accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected west of I-287 and 3 to 6 inches are expected across extreme western New Jersey.

In the city, residents can expect maybe a dusting to an inch of snow and Long Island is expected to see mostly rain.

After the snow event, AccuWeather says the rest of the week through the weekend will be dry and chilly.

Wednesday overnight will be windy and colder with heavy rain that will change to wet snow in some areas. The low will hit 37 in Midtown and 32 in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley.