10:10AM EST: [UPDATES POSTED BELOW] Light snow has begun falling in Boro Park & Flatbush just moments ago, in what is the beginning of what forecasters are predicting as a blizzard. Accumulations of 10 to 15 inches are expected.

The Big Apple was preparing for Sunday’s snowfall with tall salt piles, city trucks, spreaders and plows. The snow was expected to be deep enough to keep sanitation crews busy non-stop Sunday into Monday.

As was predicted, the storm started arriving in the city Sunday morning, with heavy snows predicted to start accumulating by Sunday afternoon and lasting into the night. Strong winds gusts up to 35 or 45 m.p.h. will create will create blowing and drifting snow and make travel treacherous late Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.

Between 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday there will be steady snow with winds between 15-20 m.p.h. The height of the storm will hit between 5-10 p.m. before it begins to taper off in the early morning. By 7 a.m. Monday only light snow is expected, but wind gusts up to 40 m.p.h. could continue through Monday afternoon.

The storm is expected to cause major travel delays and cancellations at area airports, with poor driving conditions throughout the city.

UPDATE 1:00PM EST: Department of Sanitation officials are encouraging people to stay off the roads beginning this afternoon, because of poor visibility and possible interference with their work.

There is no need to move cars during the storm, and alternate side of the street parking and meter rules are suspended today.

Sanitation crews have started to roll out, including 365 salt spreaders. More than 1,600 snow plows will clean the streets once two inches of snow fall.

All 4,800 sanitation workers will be out in full force, working two 12-hour shifts to take on the snowy and icy streets.

The DOS clean-up efforts cost about $1 million per inch of snow, but officials say cleaning the streets will help emergency vehicles get around the city.

Many city residents flocked to hardware stores this morning to buy salt, shovels, snow blowers and other supplies.

Meanwhile, close to 1,000 flights across the Northeast are already canceled.

Continental Airlines scrapped 250 flights out of Newark Liberty Airport, and AirTran and Southwest Airlines also grounded flights out of Newark.

United Airlines canceled dozens of flights out of LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy Airports.

Delta Air Lines grounded 850 flights at points up and down the East Coast.

American Airlines is canceling flights through Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia this afternoon.

The Port Authority suggests travelers check with their carriers before heading out.

Most carriers are waiving fees they normally charge for one-time changes in affected areas.

By 7 a.m. Monday, only light snow is expected, but wind gusts could continue through Monday afternoon. By Monday afternoon, some sunshine could break out and temperatures will peak near 30 degrees.

Sunny conditions are expected to return Tuesday and Wednesday, and temperatures this week will reach highs of the low 50s.

UPDATE 2:05PM EST: NYC has suspended alternate side parking regulations for Monday to help with the snow removal.

Parking meters, however, will remain in effect throughout the city.

(YWN Storm Center – 2010)