Top five winter storms to hit Central Park in New York City

CENTRAL PARK, NY – It’s no secret that New York City can be the most magical place on Earth during the winter season.

Areas such as Central Park become a picturesque scene as snow falls in the big city.

In its history, Central Park has been transformed into a winter wonderland on several occasions, enduring numerous heavy snow events.

So what are the five biggest snowstorms to hit Central Park?

Starting at number five, we have the intense nor'easter in February 2010, where Central Park recorded 20.9 inches of snow over two days.

Bands of heavy snow just would not stop coming down, as snowfall rates of 1 to 3 inches an hour occurred across the Northeast. According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts of up to 50 to 70 mph were reported across southeastern New York.

Heavy and wet snow fell across much of the region. The combination of gusty winds and accumulating snow led to scattered power outages and downed trees across parts of the Northeast.

Coming in fourth place is the March 1888 snowstorm, which brought 21 inches of snow to the area.

Otherwise known as the Great Blizzard of 1888, it is widely regarded as the most severe of its kind in American history.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as much as 58 inches of snow fell in some regions, and over 400 people died as a result of the storm. That includes around 200 people in New York City, according to History.com.

Notably, many forms of transportation, such as the subway system, shut down. Power and telegraph line outages helped encourage moving them underground to avoid disasters during such weather events, according to NOAA.

In third place is the blizzard of December 1947, which brought 26.4 inches of snow to Central Park.

Heavy snow like this completely paralyzes a city at this time, forcing people to dig themselves out of the piles.

Coming in second place is the snowstorm of February 2006, with 26.9 inches of snow.

New York City officials deployed 2,500 workers to handle the cleanup efforts of the considerable accumulation.

Hundreds of flights were canceled, and numerous roads were closed due to intense winter weather.

ROUNDS OF SNOW TO STRETCH FROM FOUR CORNERS TO THE GREAT LAKES, TRIGGERING WINTER WEATHER ALERTS

In first place with the most snow to hit Central Park was in January 2016, when New Yorkers experienced 27.5 inches of snow.

This is the most significant snowstorm to hit Central Park since records began in 1869.

Blizzard conditions were observed in New York City, Long Island and other portions of the Northeast.

Be sure to stay updated with the latest winter weather alerts all season long with FOX Weather.