Beware Of Frostbite As Big Freeze Hits NYC

NEW YORK CITY — Expect Friday's winter air to have extra bite.

A big freeze descended over New York City overnight and will linger into Saturday, keeping wind chills down near zero, the National Weather Service warned.

New Yorkers who step outside should wear hats and gloves or mittens to avoid frostbite, according to a special weather statement.

"Frostbite can occur in a short amount of time, so dress in layers and make sure all exposed skin is protected," the statement reads.

The cold weather culprit is an Arctic boundary — a mass of frigid air — that moved through the region, meteorologists said. It's the coldest air mass to hit New York City this winter so far.

But that's not the only bad winter weather news.

New York City is under a wind advisory Friday until 4 p.m. Northwest winds will blow 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Friday night will remain blustery and cold, although the wind will largely subside Saturday. But it'll remain cold until Sunday, when highs hit a relatively balmy 32.

Meteorologists warn that will only be a brief respite, because a potential coastal storm is predicted Sunday night that could bring 6 or more inches of snow to the city into Tuesday.

Here's the National Weather Service forecast:

Friday
Sunny, with a high near 23. Wind chill values between minus 5 and 5. Windy, with a northwest wind 26 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph.

Friday night
Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Wind chill values between zero and 5. Blustery, with a northwest wind 16 to 21 mph decreasing to 9 to 14 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 30. Wind chill values between zero and 10. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph.

Saturday night
Mostly clear, with a low around 20. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. North wind 7 to 11 mph.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable.

Sunday night
Snow likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Monday
Snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 34. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Monday night
Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 32. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.