White Christmas may be on the way for N.Y. & N.J. Map shows where the snow could stick.

NEW YORK -- New York City is facing the coldest weather it's seen in a while, and parts of New York and New Jersey could be in for a White Christmas with snow on the way this week.

The cold triggered a First Alert Weather Day to start the day Monday, but temperatures will climb into the 20s for the afternoon. Highs will be in the upper 20s but feel like the mid-20s with the wind chill. 

Clouds are expected to increase overnight, and a late snow shower is possible far north and west of the city. 

This arctic airmass blew in the coldest temperatures the city has seen for all of 2024 and throughout all of last winter. Highs will gradually start to climb each day this week, returning to average by Friday. 

Will there be a White Christmas this year?

Christmas Eve will likely start off with some snow showers Tuesday morning, then brighter skies for the afternoon. 

The window for snow in New York City looks to be between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., when a coating to half an inch of accumulation is possible. 

At higher elevations north and west of the city, up to 1 to 2 inches are possible. The system is expected to bring a quick moving round of light showers, lasting two to three hours in any one location. 

An inch or more of accumulation on the ground is considered a White Christmas, so it will depend on what happens with temperatures in the afternoon. 

Skies will likely turn brighter and temperatures will sneak above freezing, but parts of the area could still have some coverage on the ground by Wednesday morning.

Christmas Day will bring a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the mid-to-upper 30s.   

The last time New York City saw a White Christmas was in 2009 and, historically, there is only an 11% chance in the city. 

See our full winter snow outlook for the season here, and stick with the First Alert Weather team for the latest alerts.