Governor Hochul today urged New Yorkers to prepare for a long duration storm system set to impact the state with heavy snow, rain and high wind gusts that could cause hazardous travel, power outages and flooding. For the North Country, Capital, Central, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier and upper Mid-Hudson regions, snow and sleet will begin Tuesday night and transition to snow overnight. By Wednesday night, many could see 6-12 inches of snow, and the highest elevations of the Adirondacks and Catskills could see up to two feet of snow. Lower elevations in the North Country, Capital and upper Mid-Hudson should expect to see a wintry mix and a plowable snow.
Travel will likely be hazardous, especially during the Wednesday and Thursday commutes, and areas receiving heavy, wet snow could see isolated power outages. For the New York City, Long Island and the lower Mid-Hudson regions, a widespread 2-3 inches of rain is expected to fall starting Tuesday night and continue through Thursday, which will likely result in flooding of low-lying and flood-prone areas. Across the state, wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible Wednesday and Thursday, which could cause additional, isolated power outages and potentially moderate coastal flooding in New York City and Long Island. Governor Hochul urged New Yorkers to monitor the weather closely as the forecast may shift over the next couple of days and prepare for hazardous travel and other storm impacts.
“Despite early signs of spring, we are closely monitoring a storm system that is expected to bring heavy snow, rain and gale force winds to parts of our state,” Governor Hochul said. “It is critical that New Yorkers monitor their local forecasts and take proper precautions as the weather unfolds. I have directed state agencies to make the necessary preparations and to engage with local partners as we prepare for the conditions to come.”
Winter Storm Watches are in effect for multiple locations in the North Country, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, Central New York and the Southern Tier through Thursday night. New Yorkers are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by subscribing to NY Alert at https://alert.ny.gov, a free service providing critical emergency information to your cell phone or computer. For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at https://alerts.weather.gov.
Agency Activities
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services The Division’s Office of Emergency Management is in contact with local counterparts and is prepared to facilitate requests for assistance. State stockpiles are staffed and ready to deploy emergency response assets and supplies as needed.
New York State Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is monitoring weather conditions and prepared to respond with more than 3,750 supervisors and operators. All field staff are available to fully engage and respond. Staff can be configured into any type of response crews that are needed, including flood response, chipper, load and haul, sewer jet, cut and toss, traffic signal, etc. Crews are checking and clearing drainage structures to make sure they are free of debris and clogs. All residencies in impacted locations will remain staffed for 24/7 operations with operators, supervisors and mechanics throughout the duration of the event and priority cleanup operations.
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Categories: New York, Government & Policy, Weather