Snow, Rain, Polar Vortex: Irvington's Work Week

IRVINGTON, NY — An unusual arctic blast that will keep us freezing all week will push snow into the region Tuesday. However, a low pressure system off the coast may keep precipitation in the lower Hudson Valley as mostly rain.

"This type of arctic front… and the air mass behind it… is not one you see all that often," said Alex Marra and Bill Potter of Hudson Valley Weather. "Latest guidance suggests that anyone from roughly I-84 on south has the best chance of mixing with and changing to rain. The warm air is all at the surface with this system… meaning freezing rain and sleet should not be an issue. The question is either snow… or rain. We’ll have to watch the exact position of this system in the next 24 to 36 hours."

The arctic blast that greeted us Monday morning is the precursor to the polar vortex which is swooping down on the Midwest then coming east later this week.

"Thursday can rival the cold blast from earlier last week as the harshest so far this winter along the Northeast’s I-95 corridor. The day can start with lows in the single digits from Boston to New York City to Baltimore with highs only in the teens or lower 20s," said Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist.

That's going to keep it really, really cold through the end of January. Yes, the end of January. Here's what the National Weather Service forecasts for the work week in southern Westchester County:

• Monday: Sunny, with a high near 31. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. North wind 5 to 7 mph.
• Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. East wind 3 to 6 mph.
• Tuesday: A chance of snow before noon, then rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 39. Wind chill values between 20 and 30. Southeast wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Tuesday Night: Rain before midnight, then snow likely. Low around 19. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. Southeast wind 7 to 14 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
• Wednesday: A chance of snow before 7am, then scattered snow showers after 11am. Increasing clouds, with a high near 23. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 1.
• Thursday: Sunny and cold, with a high near 12.
• Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6.
• Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 22.
• Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 12.

Image via AccuWeather.com