Get ready for a fresh dose of snow -- the city is looking at another 4-8 inches of heavy, wet snow coming during a winter storm Sunday, the National Weather Service said, just as New Yorkers were recovering from last week’s monster storm.
The NWS has the city under a storm warning all day Sunday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with snow heavy at times and temperatures hovering in the low 30s. Parts of Connecticut, northeast New Jersey, and Long Island will also see significant snow, the NWS said.
At its peak, snowfall could reach two inches an hour, with poor visibility and potentially dangerous travel conditions during the storm, the NWS warned -- so best to watch that Big Game Which Cannot Be Named at home.
Eastern Long Island and southeastern Connecticut could see as much as 6 to 9 inches of snow or more, the NWS said.
Governor Andrew Cuomo's office said the MTA is "closely monitoring weather conditions to ensure safe, reliable service. MTA employees will be poised to spread salt and clear platforms and stairs of snow and ice, keep signals, switches, and third rail operating." The agency said it prepared more than 7,000 tons of roadway deicer and 115 pieces of equipment, and will outfit local buses with chains for Sunday’s storm.
The MTA urged residents to stay home and off public transit if possible. Pedestrian walkways will be closed on MTA bridges and a 35-mph speed restriction enforced on the bridges as well. Over 7,000 tons of roadway deicer and 115 pieces of storm fighting equipment readied and available for deployment.
Unlike the subway system, which still closes nightly from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., the Long Island Rail Road said "station waiting rooms will be open 24/7 starting this Monday, Feb. 8, with normal station waiting room hours resuming on Monday, Feb. 15."
"We are right in the thick of winter storm season with an active cycle of weather for the next week or so, which means plenty of opportunities for heavy snow, high winds, and potentially hazardous conditions that could impact travel and cause power outages," Cuomo said in a statement. "I have directed state agencies to prepare emergency response assets and be ready to assist local partners as needed. As this work is underway, all New Yorkers should keep an eye on their local weather forecasts, use caution when traveling, and follow all warnings from state and local emergency officials."
The new snow will join the historic February 1st snowstorm that dropped 17.4 inches of snow in Central Park and was slowly being cleared away.
The city is closing all Open Restaurants roadway setups Sunday during the storm, and the city will notify restaurants when they can resume roadway dining. Alternate Side Parking is suspended through Friday, February 12th though parking meters remain in effect.
The Department of Sanitation announced that they will pretreat roads starting Saturday night, and more than 2,000 collection trucks will begin plowing once there's two inches of new snow on the ground, with more than 200,000 tons of salt on hand. The storm will also delay trash and recycling collection again.
And bundle up as temperatures plummet after the snowstorm Sunday, staying around the freezing mark on Monday before yet another round of rain and snow could come back on Tuesday, according to NBC 4 -- followed by yes, more possible snow later next week.
