NYC Emergency Management Urges Folks From Harlem To Hollis To Prepare For Winter Weather

As winter weather moves into the New York City area Sunday morning, the New York City Emergency Management Department advises New Yorkers to prepare for messy travel conditions to end the holiday weekend into the beginning of the workweek.NYC Emergency Management has issued a travel advisory for both Sunday travel and the Monday commute. According to the latest National Weather Service forecast, snow will begin Sunday morning before mixing with sleet, causing a wintry mix by late morning, and transitioning to all rain on Sunday afternoon. A small possibility of freezing rain is possible during the transition from snow to a wintry mix. Rain will continue through Sunday night into the Monday morning commute. The rain is expected to changeover to a wintry mix of rain and snow early Monday afternoon, before transitioning to snow. Light to moderate snowfall will continue into Monday night, before tapering off by daybreak Tuesday.

A total accumulation of 1 to 4 inches of snow is possible with this system. New Yorkers should prepare for messy road conditions Sunday and Monday. Consider the use of public transportation.

“As people hit the roads to return home from their holiday celebrations, I urge you to take extra precautions when traveling. You could face messy conditions on Sunday, so exercise caution and give yourself lots of extra travel time,” NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell said. “For Monday’s commute, I encourage you to use mass transit where possible as the roads could look different from when you leave home in the morning.”

NYC Emergency Management is coordinating the City’s preparations for the upcoming inclement weather and is working closely with National Weather Service to monitor the forecast. The agency has convened daily winter weather steering committee calls to discuss agency actions ahead of the storm.

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will be ready for the storm and will have 705 salt spreaders deployed across the five boroughs. They will dispatch plows once two inches of snow has fallen.

Safety Tips

• Allow for extra travel time, and exercise caution when driving, walking or biking. Consider taking public transportation wherever possible.
• Small accumulations of ice can be extremely dangerous to motorist and pedestrians. Bridges and overpasses are particularly dangerous because they freeze before other surfaces.
• Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible.
• If you drive, use extra caution. Vehicles take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement.
• Four-wheel drive vehicles may make it easier to drive on snow-covered roads, but they stop less quickly than other vehicles.
• Know your vehicle’s braking system. Vehicles with anti-lock brakes require a different braking technique than vehicles without anti-lock brakes in snowy conditions.
• If you are driving and begin to skid, ease your foot off the gas and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. Straighten the wheel when the car moves in the desired direction. If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), apply steady pressure to the brake pedal. Never pump the brakes on an ABS equipped vehicle.
• Keep your vehicle’s gas tank as full as possible.
• Pedestrians should exercise caution and avoid slippery surfaces. Wear sturdy boots that provide traction to reduce slipping. Use handrails when using stairs.
• Seniors should take extra care outdoors to avoid slips and falls.
• Have heightened awareness of cars, particularly when approaching or crossing intersections.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors who may need help in inclement weather — especially older adults or people with disabilities.

For more information, visit NYC.gov/EmergencyManagement. New Yorkers are also encouraged to download the free Notify NYC mobile application, which is available from iTunes or Google Play. Notify NYC is the City’s free emergency notification system that allows New Yorkers to also receive phone calls, text messages, and/or email alerts about weather conditions and other emergencies. To learn more about the Notify NYC program or to sign up, visit NYC.gov/NotifyNYC or call 311. You can also follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.