Potential Blizzard Takes Aim At NYC Thursday-Friday (UPDATED - 2:35 PM)

Yikes - from Accuweather:

A snowstorm taking aim at New York City Thursday will evolve into a blizzard Thursday night.

Expect dry travel weather into Wednesday night in the immediate area.

A snowstorm will affect New York City and much of the Northeast on Thursday into Friday. As the storm strengthens Thursday night, increasing winds, powdery snow and plunging temperatures will allow a blizzard to evolve.

Enough snow to shovel and plow is forecast to fall around the city.

The expected total snowfall in the five boroughs is between 6 and 10 inches. Locally higher amounts are possible in the suburbs.

The worst conditions are likely Thursday night, when the snow will be the heaviest, and winds and cold will cause the snow to blow and drift.

The plunging temperatures will cause roads to become icy, covered by snow and slippery. Where accidents occur, some roads could be blocked for hours. Expect flight delays and cancellations at area airports due to deicing activities, poor visibility and increasing winds.

 The coldest air of the season so far will empty out of Canada by Friday with temperatures likely to be no higher than the teens. RealFeel temperatures will be near zero at times.

Been following this on the weather forum and some models have suggested over a foot of snow and blizzard conditions into Friday.

Will de Blasio call school for Friday?

If so, will he call it a little earlier than the "It's 5:30 AM and lots of teachers are already on the way" style Bloomberg specialized in?

UPDATE - 2:25 PM - from National Weather Service:

Winter Storm Watch issued January 01 at 4:46AM EST until January 03 at 1:00PM EST by NWS New York City - Upton

...A COASTAL STORM WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW...NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST...AND DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... ...WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

* LOCATIONS...COASTAL CONNECTICUT...NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA AND SURROUNDINGS...AND LONG ISLAND.

* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...5 TO 9 INCHES.

* WINDS...NORTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...TEMPERATURES DROPPING INTO THE LOWER TEENS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH WIND CHILLS OF 5 TO 10 BELOW ZERO.

* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

* TIMING...THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

* IMPACTS...THE ACCUMULATING SNOW...ALONG WITH CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WOULD PRODUCE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

Target Area: Bronx; Kings (Brooklyn); New York (Manhattan); Northeast Suffolk; Northern Nassau; Northern Queens; Northwest Suffolk; Richmond (Staten Is.); Southeast Suffolk; Southern Nassau; Southern Queens; Southern Westchester; Southwest Suffolk