NYC Ferry service may be suspended for days due to ice in rivers

All New York City Ferry service was suspended as of 2 p.m. Tuesday because of ice in the East and Hudson rivers and across New York Harbor.

Ferry officials warn the closure may last for several days.

In a post on X, NYC Ferry wrote, "Operating in heavy ice conditions requires slow speeds and little to no notice regarding landing service suspensions. NYC Ferry crew will continue to monitor evolving waterway conditions and prepare the fleet to ensure service can resume once conditions improve."

Riders should check ferry.nyc and the NYC Ferry app for the latest updates.

New York Waterway, meanwhile, is operating with delays and modified schedules, and service from Edgewater, New Jersey, has been suspended. Customers should check its app for updates.

Icy river conditions are "nerve-wracking," ferry captain says

Tuesday morning, hulls competed with thickening ice, especially close to the New Jersey and New York shorelines.

By midday, tugs took the lead to part ice for ferries.

Riverkeeper Patrol Captain Luis Melendez has navigated New York Harbor for 16 years, and says these conditions are nerve-wracking and require extreme focus.

"You're moving people from place to place, and you're navigating through these kind of like ice patch and ice floes," he said.

What conditions are needed to get ice on NYC's rivers?

What does it take to get ice on the brackish Hudson?

Philip Orton, a research associate professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology, says temperatures must dive below 30 degrees.

"You also need the currents to be weak for a period of time, so the tides can't be large," he said.

A half moon on the horizon means they're not right now.