A powerful winter storm is expected to dump snow and rain on New York City and virtually the entire tri-state over an hours-long onslaught Wednesday that could make the evening commute an ugly, frozen mess for tens of thousands of people. Flakes began falling along the Jersey Shore shortly after 11 a.m. and hit the city with a vengeance a half hour later. The steadiest, heaviest snow is likely to move in as the evening commute gets underway, leading to slow and potentially hazardous travel conditions, Storm Team 4 says. Anchor Stefan Holt also reports on the latest in the Jussie Smollett case, a fatal crash in New Jersey, vandalism in Brooklyn and a royal's surprise appearance in New York City. NBC 4 New York on Twitter: 4.nbcny.com/kAuuwUN NBC 4 New York on Facebook: 4.nbcny.com/mbeh714 NBC 4 New York on Instagram: 4.nbcny.com/g5YlkcI NBC 4 New York on Youtube: 4.nbcny.com/iTUpy5e #Weather #NYCWX #Snow #News #NYC