NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani warns blizzard will bring massive snow totals, dangerous icy roads
With a potential blizzard coming to New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani gave an update on how the city is gearing up for the next round of winter weather.
Mamdani addressed Sunday's snowstorm at the Spring Street Salt Shed in Lower Manhattan on Saturday afternoon. The mayor's full press conference was streamed live on CBS News New York and on our YouTube channel.
NYC winter storm outlook
New York City could get walloped with up to two feet of snow in some southern neighborhoods starting Sunday morning into Monday, as the storm appears primed to develop into a powerful nor'easter, potentially surpassing totals from January's major snowstorm.
"We are now expecting between 13-17 inches of snow, but there is a slight chance we may see up to 20 inches, if not more," Mamdani said Saturday as the forecast began to intensify.
The updated First Alert Forecast shows the brunt of the storm, with the heaviest snow and most powerful wind gusts, is expected after 7 p.m. Sunday. The storm will stretch into Monday, which the mayor also warned will mean an "extremely hazardous" morning commute across the five boroughs.
"With heavy snowfall and peak winds coinciding to create slippery conditions and greatly reduced visibility," he said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency.
Mamdani urged New Yorkers to stay inside and off the roads for the duration of the storm.
"Combined with daytime temperatures slipping above freezing and overnight lows dropping to the low 20s, the snowfall will melt, then refreeze, resulting in dangerously icy sidewalks and streets," he said.
A decision on whether public schools will hold in-person classes Monday will be made by noon Sunday, Mamdani said.
MTA focus on keeping system running
MTA Chair Janno Lieber said the agency will be focused on clearing snow off the 220 miles of uncovered subway tracks across New York City.
"Particularly the A train, the N, the B, and the Q, the 5 and the 7 line. These are some of the lines that are most exposed to accumulations of snow," Lieber said.
Express trains will likely run on local tracks, Lieber said, because trains will be stored in the tunnels to make sure they can operate on Monday.
"That may impact on the time of travel," he said.
MTA buses will be fitted with chains and Lieber said the mayor made clearing bus stops a priority.
"Experience has taught us that the buses really do become the workhorse of the public transit system during storms," he said.
The Long Island Rail Road will run weekend service on Monday. The Metro-North Railroad will see a combination of changes Monday, with hourly service on the main Harlem, Hudson and New Haven Lines, and weekend service on the Connecticut branches and Wassaic branch.
NYC snow preps
Mamdani said pre-snow operations would start Saturday, with plows getting prepared, salt spreaders being loaded and Department of Sanitation crews gearing up to be deployed. A Code Blue went into effect citywide at 4 p.m.
More than 2,600 sanitation workers will cover 12-hour shifts starting Sunday. You can follow their progress plowing the roads in real-time on the city's plow tracker site.
"While DSNY focuses on snow clearing and responding to this blizzard, they will be running at least one day behind on garbage and recycling collection," Mamdani said.
DSNY said it has 1,000 emergency snow shovelers who will work day and night. Almost anyone can register to become a snow shoveler. You can find out if you're eligible and what paperwork you need by visiting the department's website.
The city also brought in outside snow-clearing equipment days ahead of the snowfall, which Mamdani said is unprecedented. That includes tow trucks and large loaders.
Crews to clear more than just the streets
The city is also requiring at least a four-foot path be cleared on sidewalks to make sure wheelchairs can get through. Crews said they will be focusing on fire hydrants, crosswalks, and bus stops, and, unlike the last storm, this time, the weather may actually work in the city's favor.
"Unlike in the prior storm, we are predicted to have the help of Mother Nature this time around. What I mean by that is that the prior storm was followed by one of the most sustained spells of cold weather the city has ever seen. We are anticipating dipping into the low 20s over the next few days. However, we do anticipate reaching into the 40s by Wednesday. That will be incredibly helpful towards our city's recovery from the snowstorm," Mamdani said.
The mayor said the city is doing more to protect the city's homeless, and that 18 warming buses will be available, along with 11 Health + Hospitals warming spaces and 13 school warming centers across the city. Mamdani said overdose prevention centers will be open overnight through the Blizzard. All of it comes after more than a dozen people died during the last major storm and the brutally cold weather that lingered for days.
The First Alert Weather Team continues to monitor the storm's track and will provide updates on air and online throughout the weekend. There will be live hourly updates starting at noon Sunday on CBS News New York.
