In the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tristate region, there will be an earlier window for light snow and ice from Friday night, Dec. 5 into Saturday morning, Dec. 6.

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

A series of Arctic cold waves is set to grip the region, bringing several chances for accumulating snow in the days ahead.

According to the National Weather Service, frigid temperatures will stick around into early next week as a stubborn Arctic air mass remains in place.

The cold will be punctuated by chances for snow, especially Sunday night, Dec. 7, into Monday, Dec. 8, when a fast-moving Alberta clipper system is expected to cross the region.

In the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tristate region, there will be an earlier window for light snow from around 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 into around 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

"Some light snow and/or drizzle is possible tonight," the National Weather Service in New York City said in a statement issued late Friday afternoon. "Although little to no snow accumulation is forecast, if there is any freezing drizzle, there could be a few icy pockets."

While only light snow amounts are predicted at this time, forecasters warn the timing could impact the Monday morning commute.

AccuWeather meteorologists say the polar vortex is shifting near Hudson Bay, Canada, and will continue to send rounds of Arctic air deep into the central and eastern United States through mid-December.

The waves of cold will bring not just bitter temperatures but also the potential for flurries, squalls, and patches of accumulating snow as they move through.

"These Arctic air outbreaks can be attributed to a displacement of the polar vortex," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

"The outbreak this week will be the first of probably three such rounds with it. Another cold blast is likely next week and a third the week after that," Pastelok explained. "The waves of Arctic air will lead to significant surges in energy demands."

The first Arctic front swept off the Northeast coast Thursday night, Dec. 4, bringing flurries, snow showers, and heavier squalls to New York state and New England.

The cold is already making an impact, with temperatures dropping to the teens in Boston and widespread lows in the 20s from New York City to Washington, D.C. Some interior cold spots, including parts of the Adirondacks, have seen readings near 20 below zero.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.