New York City is gearing up for a significant snowstorm this weekend. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect.
If, as some forecasts project, the city gets more than a foot of snow, it will be the first time the city has seen that much since February of 2021.
“We are expecting precipitation to begin late Saturday or early Sunday and to possibly last into Monday,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday. “While we cannot control how much snow will actually fall this weekend, we can control how we prepare for and respond to this storm. And so that is why tomorrow we are going to begin citywide pre-snow treatment. What that means is that we will brine all highways, major streets and bike lanes to mitigate snow and ice accumulation. And we are also going to accelerate cleanup once the storm has passed.”
“DSNY is very good at what they do,” and they’re hiring
Mamdani said Department of Sanitation workers will start 12-hour shifts as of Saturday morning. When the snow starts to come down, 700 salt spreaders will hit the streets.
“As we speak, our sanitation fleet is being transformed into a snow-clearing fleet. DSNY is very good at what they do, and they are very well-practiced at this work,” Mamdani said. “We are going to to be able to hit every single part of our city with multiple passes.”
The Department of Sanitation is hiring temporary snow shovelers. The pay is $19.14 per hour. After 40 hours in a week, the pay jumps to $28.71 an hour. Click here to apply.
The city will also have a Code Blue in effect due to the plunging temperatures. Outreach teams will attempt to bring homeless New Yorkers into shelters.
For those students and parents who may’ve been hoping for a snow day at New York City schools Monday, Mamdani said the city is “working to do everything that we can to keep our schools open.”
“The extreme cold can be deadly”
Gov. Kathy Hochul emphasized the extreme cold temperatures that will be at play during the storm.
“All across the state, New Yorkers are at risk for an extreme weather event, the likes of which we have not seen in many years,” Hochul said. “The extreme cold can be deadly. This is one you need to take very seriously.”
Hochul urged New Yorkers to limit their time outside. Those who have to be outside should stay hydrated, drink plenty of fluids, avoid caffeine, and wear multiple layers of clothing, she said.
Hochul urged New Yorkers to limit unnecessary travel Sunday due to the storm.
“Don’t crowd the plows. Give them the distance they need to do what they need to do,” Hochul said.