Ahead of blizzard, NYC announces snow day for schools, travel restrictions
Photo of Owl’s Head Park in Bay Ridge courtesy of NYC Parks/ Daniel Avila
Ahead of New York’s first blizzard in a decade, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday declared a state of emergency, announcing closure of public schools and citywide travel restrictions. The National Weather Service predicts snowfall totals of 16 to 24 inches, with the highest totals at the coast, and strong winds up to 40 miles per hour. The mayor announced public schools will be closed on Monday, with no remote learning, giving students the first real snow day since 201. City streets will be closed to non-essential traffic from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday.
The heaviest snow is expected to begin at 9 p.m. on Sunday through 9 a.m. Monday, and tampering off that evening. Strong winds around 35 to 40 miles per hour, with isolated gusts of 60 miles per hour, and coastal flooding are expected.
“I’m urging every New Yorker to please stay home. Check in on your neighbors, especially seniors and those who may need extra support,” Mamdani said.
“This declaration strengthens our ability to back up our first responders as they put themselves on the line, and it protects working families from price gouging during this storm. In moments like this, we show who we are as a city — we take care of each other.”
The local state of emergency establishes a temporary travel restriction, closing NYC streets, highways, bridges, and tunnels to vehicular traffic from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday. Exempt vehicles include government and emergency response, public transit, vehicles delivering food, fuel, and medical supplies, utility vehicles making medical supplies, transportation for essential workers and hospitals, and nonprofit groups providing emergency relief.
According to the mayor, the New York City Department of Social Services will deploy 22 warming buses citywide. Additional warming spaces will be open at 11 NYC Health + Hospital facilities and 13 schools. Find a warming center near you here, via LinkNYC kiosk, or 311.
The city is operating under enhanced Code Blue protocols, with homeless shelters operating under an open-door policy. New Yorkers should call 311 if they see anyone in need of assistance. The mayor said they placed 86 homeless New Yorkers in shelters on Saturday night.
Mamandi first announced the “old school snow day” to a student on FaceTime, which he shared on social media. Public school students have not had off for a snowstorm since 2019, since the pandemic made remote learning a possibility. The mayor said the city received a waiver from the state’s Education Department from the 180-day instructional requirement.
“We do not believe providing remote instruction tomorrow would be effective,” Kamar Samules, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools, said during a news conference on Sunday.
The MTA announced that most subway service will operate local to accommodate winter weather operations, and longer buses will be replaced with the standard buses operating with chained wheels. Commuters should check the MTA app, TrainTime app, or mta.info for real-time service alerts during the storm.
NYC Ferry will stop operating at 5 p.m. on Sunday and expects a delayed start on Monday.
Follow the Department of Sanitation’s interactive PlowNYC map to see if and when your street has been plowed and salted.
