The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for New York City, which will be in effect on Thursday, Jan. 20, from 4 a.m. and New York City Emergency Management Department (EMS) has issued a travel advisory which will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. According to the latest forecast, light rain is expected late Wednesday night with a transition to light snow early Thursday morning through the early afternoon.

 

City officials said an accumulation of light snowfall could result in snow-covered roads for the Thursday morning commute. A total of 2 inches of snow is expected with higher amounts possible, locally, and with the combination of rain, it may lead to icy conditions. 

   

 NYC Emergency Management Acting commissioner, Christina Farrell, said as more snow heads our way, New Yorkers should prepare for slippery road conditions and a messy commute on Thursday. “We urge New Yorkers to exercise caution,” she said. “If you must travel, we encourage the use of mass transit and please allow for extra travel time.”  

     

Meanwhile, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) commissioner, Edward Grayson, said rain-to-snow events such as this present unique challenges, and slick, icy roadways are possible at any time, Thursday. “We urge New Yorkers to stay off the roads, and to give plows and salt spreaders the space to do their jobs,” he said.  

   

The City’s sanitation department is pre-deploying over 700 salt spreaders to pretreat roadways ahead of the first snowflake, according to officials, and they said the department is prepared to dispatch plows in all sectors when more than two inches of snow accumulates.  As this will be a “rain to snow” event, brine will not be used. 

 

City officials provided the following safety tips.

• Allow for extra travel time. New Yorkers are urged to use public transportation.    
• If you must drive, drive slowly. Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible.    
• Vehicles take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement.   
• Pedestrians should exercise caution and avoid slippery surfaces; some ice may not be visible. Wear sturdy boots that provide traction to reduce slipping. Use handrails when using stairs.    
• Take care when walking on snow and ice, especially if you are an older adult. Seniors should take extra care outdoors to avoid slips and falls.    
• Have heightened awareness of cars, particularly when approaching or crossing intersections.     

  

Meanwhile, DSNY officials say the winter weather advisory is DSNY”s “lower level” winter weather message, as opposed to the “higher level” snow alert. DSNY encouraged all New Yorkers to be especially cautious Thursday morning, and to take mass transit, if possible.

 

City officials said Open Restaurants may continue to offer outdoor and roadway dining throughout the winter weather advisory event. However, restaurant owners who have eateries with roadway seating should be aware that DSNY equipment may spread salt on the roadway. 

 

They said residents should continue to follow their normal collection schedule for trash, compost and recycling, though delays may occur while DSNY is in snow operations mode.

 

Alternate side parking regulations are suspended on Thursday to facilitate snow and ice removal operations. Parking meters will be in effect.

 

All winter weather information and information about the City’s response to the storm can be found by visiting the City’s severe weather website at www.nyc.gov/severeweather or by calling 311. New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency notification system. Through Notify NYC, New Yorkers can sign up to receive phone calls, text messages, and emails alerts about severe weather events and emergencies. To sign up for Notify NYC, call 311, visit www.nyc.gov or follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.

 

Find information on Sanitation snow operations along with residents’ responsibilities during and after snow at nyc.gov/snow.