Could NYC get snow this weekend? What to know about the first nor’easter of the season

Bundle up—maybe not too much. The city’s first nor’easter of the season is barreling toward the East Coast this weekend, bringing buckets of rain, fierce wind and, for those who were secretly hoping for a Hallmark-movie moment, almost no chance of snow.

Forecasters say the coastal storm will begin brewing off the Carolinas on Saturday before moving up toward the tri-state area on Sunday and Monday. The National Weather Service has already issued a hazardous weather outlook, with coastal flood watches in place for New York City, Long Island, northern New Jersey and parts of Connecticut. Gusts could top 60 miles per hour in Brooklyn and Queens, while rain totals are expected to hit one to three inches across eastern Long Island and New Jersey. Up north and inland, things should stay a little calmer—think more drizzle than deluge—as dry air presses in from high pressure over Canada.

For those wondering if this nor’easter could deliver NYC’s first snow of the season, meteorologists say not a chance. Temperatures will hover in the 60s through the weekend, making this strictly a rain-boots situation. Historically, the city doesn’t see measurable snowfall until mid-December and there’s nothing in current forecasts to suggest that’s changing anytime soon.

Still, it’ll be a blustery one. The National Weather Service warns that “damaging winds across eastern New York and widespread coastal flooding are likely,” with some neighborhoods near the water potentially experiencing “major flooding” during high tide. PSEG Long Island says its crews are on standby for possible outages and advises residents to secure anything that could turn into a projectile—yes, even your Halloween skeletons.

The storm is expected to pull away late Monday, leaving behind cooler, clearer conditions by midweek. Until then, plan for messy commutes, rogue umbrellas and at least one neighbor yelling, “It’s just rain!” over the sound of the wind.

Snow lovers will have to wait, but if this nor’easter is any indication, the season’s drama is already starting to build.