NEW YORK – New Yorkers spent much of Tuesday preparing for a storm that could drop more than a foot of snow in the five boroughs.
The nor’easter, for which the city is under a winter storm warning, could be one of the biggest snow events in the city in years. It can dump anywhere from 6 to 10 inches of snow for the southern part of the city, or 8 to 40 inches for the northern parts. We get a clearer picture of the snowfall on Wednesday morning.
Snowfall is expected to start around 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Wednesday, get heavier at night and at night, and gradually decrease in the afternoon later on Thursday morning.
Wind gusts can sometimes reach 30 to 40 mph, causing drifting snow and poor visibility.
What you need to know
- 8 to 14 inches of snow is expected for the city, although parts of the five boroughs may be getting less
- The wind will be strong, especially right along the coast
- The school buildings are open on Wednesdays; a decision is pending Thursday
- Parking on the alternative side will be suspended on Wednesdays and Thursdays
New Yorkers went to the stores a day before the snow would fall, hoping to beat the lines to stock up on groceries. At one point, the line for the Trader Joe’s in Chelsea turned around the block.
But as Julian Lopez packed his bags, he was looking forward to the storm.
“We’ve had really easy blizzards for the past few years, and this is early, so it’s nice to get it out of the way,” said Lopez. ‘I like snow. I’m from Cuba, we don’t have snow. ‘
Other customers were not concerned about the predicted snowfall.
“I know when the pandemic hit there were a lot of panic buys, but to be honest, I didn’t even think about the storm,” said Jeremy Friedman.
Some online shoppers say this is good timing for a storm like this as it will encourage New Yorkers to stay safe and indoors as COVID-19 cases increase in the city.
“I feel like people should stay indoors, and I feel like Mother Nature is hinting,” said Marist Acosta.
How the city is preparing: parking lots on the other side, schools and more
Road parking will be suspended on Wednesday and Thursday due to the storm, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Dangerous travel advice is scheduled for later Tuesday and from last to Thursday evening.
De Blasio warned Thursday morning that blizzard-like conditions are possible. New Yorkers are advised to stay at home if they can.
If you are arriving by car, it is recommended that you avoid Manhattan if possible and make every effort to avoid being on the road during rush hour Wednesday when the snow starts. During a snowstorm on November 15, 2018, the roads of the city, particularly in Manhattan, practically came to a stop when snow started to fall during the height of rush hour.
Personal classes and bus service will take place Wednesday, as the snow won’t start until after school ends, de Blasio said. The city plans to make a decision on Thursday’s in-person classes at around 6pm on Wednesdays, but parents are advised to come up with an alternative plan. Distance learning will continue on Thursday, regardless of whether school buildings close.
The Health & Hospital test locations are closed from 2 p.m. on Wednesday. They are expected to reopen on Thursday at noon. But vaccine deliveries will continue as planned, the mayor said.
Food on the roadway will be suspended from 2pm on Wednesday, and restaurant owners are instructed to remove equipment, particularly heaters, from the street. Dining on the sidewalk is permitted. The city hopes all outdoor food will return on Thursday evening.
Food deliveries for ailing New Yorkers will continue as planned.
What happens to the bus service?
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is preparing for the storm.
The agency held a press conference shortly before the Blasios to urge New Yorkers to avoid traveling during the storm.
“If there is a lot of snow, please stay home if you don’t have to go out,” said Patrick Foye, MTA chairman and CEO.
The MTA says it does what it can to prepare, including putting chains on bus tires and preparing hundreds of pounds of thawing material and sandbags for use. Snowploughs and trucks are also being prepared to clean the streets and entrances to the metro. Long buses will come off the road and be replaced by buses better equipped for driving in the snow.
“Personnel and equipment are on hand so that service can continue as safely and reliably during the storm and its aftermath. Workers will be ready to spread salt and clear platforms of snow and ice,” said Foye. “Crews are also on hand to remove fallen trees that fall over tracks and to tackle other weather-related challenges.”
The main concern is the possibility of suspending buses, especially with subways that are closed between 1am and 5am, and overground trains during the day. The MTA said it will try to warn as much as possible if there is a service outage.
“It is clear that we want to avoid the suspension of bus service at all costs, especially during nighttime hours, but we will be prioritizing safety,” said Sarah Feinberg, interim president of MTA New York City Transit.
Riders can check MTA.info for the latest service updates.
Snow fight for restaurants
While some New Yorkers are unaffected by the oncoming storm, restaurants are facing a logistics and expense related to the snow.
Brandon Bernard, 31, has experienced eight winters in New York City during his time as host at La Bella Vita in Little Italy, but he knows that any significant amount of snow on Mulberry Street can be a problem for him and the neighboring businesses. The carriageway is only wide enough for one lane and there isn’t much extra space to store excess snow once it’s pushed out of the way.
“I remember a few years ago when we had so much snow you couldn’t walk on the sidewalks,” said Bernard. “You had to walk in the middle of the street.”
And walking in the street is not an option this year. Due to the pandemic and current ban on indoor eating, almost the entire block is filled with outdoor dining structures, sometimes on both sides of the street. The structures didn’t come cheap, and Bernard is concerned that they could be damaged or demolished while clearing snow after this week’s storm.
“If it snows as much as they claim, you know … to take it down and put it back up, it’ll cost twice as much,” Bernard said.
De Blasio and Edward Grayson, the acting commissioner of the municipal sanitation department, attempted to address those concerns at a press conference earlier in the day. According to Grayson, the department has been looking at where outside diners are in recent months to plan for any snow removal issues.
“For our tighter block responses, we have holsters, which are just a small version of our salt spreader plows,” said Grayson. And we have adapted our routes so that we can serve smaller sections in the areas where it is tight. “
But restaurant owners and employees aren’t the only ones worried about whether the expected amount of snow will keep restaurants from eating outside as soon as they are allowed to. Some hope other New Yorkers will contribute to dig them out if necessary.
“It’s so important to be open as much as possible,” said Simone, a New Yorker.
“I think people will help get rid of the extra snow,” Alyse agreed.
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