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The snow squall arrives and the Empire State Building vanishes into the clouds. pic.twitter.com/MSUTkhYP4U

— NYC EMS Watch (@NYCEMSwatch) December 18, 2019

Drivers should be prepared for bursts of heavy snow and poor visibility across central Pennsylvania and into northern New Jersey, New York City and Connecticut.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement urged \"New Yorkers to slow down, use extra caution, and if at all possible stay off the roads.\"

\"If you do have to drive, be sure to move over when you see a plow or state vehicle clearing the roads,\" Cuomo said.

Heavy snow shower whitening the ground in Westchester. #abc7ny pic.twitter.com/NqrKAp4TpG

— Lee Goldberg (@LeeGoldbergABC7) December 18, 2019

The forecast is spot on. Snow squalls hit north Jersey with a quick accumulation building on grassy surfaces. pic.twitter.com/88YhVRBgcf

— Anthony Johnson (@AJohnsonwabc7) December 18, 2019

Check out a time-lapse video of this afternoon’s snow squall as it rolled through Syracuse! pic.twitter.com/m3x8wBDhIv

— NewsChannel 9 (@NewsChannel9) December 18, 2019

Lake effect snow warnings are also in effect from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Watertown, New York, where residents could see 6 to 10 inches of snow and whiteout conditions. Snowfall rates could even reach 3 to 4 inches per hour.

Then temperatures in the region will plummet.

\"PHOTO:
Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News via AP
PHOTO: Kris Hromek clears snow from the sidewalk in front of his home on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Wattsburg, Pa.
>
\"PHOTO:
Seth Wenig/AP
PHOTO: Ice coats a playground and the surrounding trees in Englewood, N.J., Dec. 18, 2019.
>

By Thursday morning the wind chill will plunge to minus 12 degrees in Burlington, minus 10 degrees in Scranton, minus 3 degrees in Boston, 0 degrees in New York and 10 degrees in Washington, D.C.

\"PHOTO:
ABC News
PHOTO: Cold Blast - Thursday morning wind chills
>

But a major warm-up is coming the week of Christmas across most of the country.

Santa might have to use wheels for his sleigh instead of runners!

\"PHOTO:
ABC News
PHOTO: Weather forecasts for Christmas week show mostly warmer temperatures in the U.S.
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