With the National Weather Service (NWS) at one point predicting as much as 30 inches of snow, and issuing a blizzard warning, beginning at 1 p.m. Monday and lasting until midnight Tuesday, the city was already getting ready for the massive storm on Sunday.
“Prepare for something worse than we’ve seen before,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference on the city’s storm preparation Sunday afternoon.
Telling New Yorkers, not to “underestimate this storm,” the mayor urged motorists to stay off the roads or to leave work early on Monday.
Monday’s evening rush hour is “going to a huge problem,” he said, adding that everyone should “certainly stay off the roads Tuesday.” The mayor also asked people to stay out of city parks starting Monday because of the potential for falling branches and even keep walking to a minimum because of slippery conditions.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged all commuters to stay home Monday if possible.
“…Commuters should consider working from home on Monday if possible to avoid disruptions from likely road and public transportation closures,” Cuomo said in a statement. “New York State is taking all necessary precautions to prepare for this storm, and I urge residents to put safety first and plan ahead to protect themselves and others throughout the duration of this snowstorm.”
The MTA said bus, commuter-rail and subway service could be curtailed on a route-by-route basis, depending on conditions and snow-removal operations during the storm. As a result, riders should consider working from home as travel could be hazardous during Monday’s evening commute.
The city’s public schools will remain open on Monday, but all school trips, after-school programs, PSAL and evening adult education programs are canceled. A final decision about Tuesday will be made tomorrow, but it’s “likely” that schools will be closed that day, de Blasio said.
Only 1 to 3 inches is forecast for the day Monday, but heavier snowfall is expected Monday evening and during the day Tuesday before tapering off that night, according to NWS. Snowfall totals are estimated from 18 to 24 inches.
Windy conditions, with gusts as high as 45 to 55 mph will likely create whiteout conditions.
In anticipation of the snowfall, the Department of Sanitation has issued a “snow alert” starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday and will be deploying its snow fighting equipment as needed. According to the mayor, there will be 2,400 workers per shift on 12 hour shifts, with 500 salt spreaders out ahead of the storm and 1,500 snow plows once 2 inches hit.
Alternate side parking will be suspended Monday and Tuesday to help with snow removal, but payment at parking meters remains in effect. Garbage and recycling collection will also be suspended.
By the time the sun returns on Wednesday, the storm could be one for the record books, according to NWS, which called the blizzard “potentially historic.”
De Blasio was confident at Sunday’s press conference that the snowfall would be among one of the largest to hit the city, citing records that date back to the late 19th century.
“This literally could be one of the top two or three largest storms in the history of this city,” he said.
The current record holder is a February 2006 storm, when 26.9 inches of snow fell in Central Park over a 16-hour period.
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