How's the weather right now. I'll be there from next wednesday, driving north to Connecticut. There are so many horror stories on TV. Is it really that bad, or just the usual?
Do I need to worry about it?

The weather is fine right now. No snow at all today, just cccold! Another storm is predicted for Tuesday night into Wednesday, but since they got it wrong today for us, who knows!

Seasonable - high in the 30s, lows in the 20s, possibility of light snow and usually fairly windy. Even colder and damper out on the water.

The snow now is much heavier to the south of us - and that possible for the rest of the week is flurries (but you need to watch the weather). If you're used to driving on snow no challenge at all. If you're not - learn how (it is a different skill but easy if you're sensible). Make sure you have a snow brush and windshield scraper in the car as well as something (cardboard or cat litter or something to put under your power wheels if there is ice.

Thanks. Sounds like I should be o.k. I feared tons of snow and closed roads. Snow tires are unheard of on rental cars, right? Cat litter sounds like a good option!

If you're really worried about road conditions, you can try to book a small SUV. Most- if not all of them- have all weather tires, snow traction control, and 4-wheel drive.

Roads in NY are dry and clear - not a single flake of snow fell north of NYC or in CT.

I like to use webcams to check road conditions when I need to drive and there's a chance of bad weather.

Connecticut
http://www.dotdata.ct.gov/iti/master_iti.html

NY
http://www.511ny.org/traffic.aspx

Both states are very good at keeping roads clear. Unless it's actively snowing or immediately (i.e. 2-3hrs) after a 10-15cm snowfall I find that major roads are fine to drive. A big 0.5m+ storm like what hit DC would take longer to clear, but the northern states are better equipped to handle this than the DC area.

In my experience the heavy use of salt and sand is more common in the US than in Germany, so even rural side roads are cleared of ice and accumulated snow soon after a storm ends. Snow tires are helpful for the added rubber grip when it's actively snowing, but they make no difference on dry, clear roads.

I don't like cat litter as it turns to slippery mush/mud quickly. I keep a small bag of rock salt in my car - it is area available at virtually every store & gas station here in the northeast. I haven't used one grain of that salt in the 5 years it's been in my car.

If conditions are so bad that you feel the need for a 4 wheel drive, my advice is to stay off the roads in the first place.

Thanks for those webcam links! Perfect weather right now.

Here's a website I use to check gas prices.

http://gasbuddy.com/

Prices in my area are now at $2.83 / gallon, or 0.55 Euro/liter with the current 1.37:1 exchange rate.

You've picked a good time to visit the US. A the current rate of decline the rate will pass 1:1 by about mid year - that is if you believe all the prognosticators.

I don't mean to belabor this, but my experience ( have lived on the East Coast all my life) is that the rural and side roads are often NOT cleared well of snow and ice. In fact, when I was growing up in Boston, a common saying was, " God put it here, and God will take it away."

Most major highways are plowed well unless there's a monster storm.

Highly reco that you do NOT rent an SUV for bad weather. They're trucks - not cars - very top heavy and unstable under bad weather conditions. You're much better off with a sedan with 4 wheel drive or front wheel drive.

There are seldom closed roads due to snow in southern New York or Connecticut. It would have to be a monster storm. And the highways are cleared very quickly. Side roads are cleared relatively quickly here in semi-rural and suburban Massachusetts. Boston is a special case; there and in other urban areas with narrow streets, the snow can be a headache for a while because it is hard to plow it and there are cars parked along the streets.

Thanks everybody! I'll make a reservation for a sedan tomorrow. Please post in case it gets worse. I'm driving a stick shift SUV in the snow over here, but I have decent (Goodyear) snow tires.
So far, no snow at all, right?

Forecast now for is for a storm on Wednesday, 2/10 - sounds like they are unsure of snowfall potential but estimates are from 8 to 18 inches in the entire NY area.

Nikki,

Don't know where you are in MA, but where I live the side streets don't get plowed much DURING a snowstorm - they do mostly after it stops snowing. There have even been a couple of times when I had to be out driving while it was snowing and the MAIN roads were not being plowed! I saw no plows and one or two salt trucks. First time that had ever happened to me.

Maybe it is budget shortfalls, but plowing in general seems less often and less thorough than in previous years.

very cold- bring lots of warm clothes. Getting ready for a big snow storm on Wednesday

Still looking good?! I've reserved a sedan for the big storm on Wednesday . (Keeping fingers crossed, that it will be cancelled).

Wednesday is not looking like a good day to drive. Lots of snow forecast. Any way you can wait out the storm before hitting the road?

Well, the flight was cancelled... sigh. Now at least let this be the worst snow storm ever, so at least they cancelled it for a reason. ;-)

I hope it is not the worst snow storm ever for the millions of people living in NYC and for those trying to get out of the City

Snow Day!