A snowstorm is set to hit New York City this weekend. 

“While we cannot control how much snow will actually fall this weekend, we can control how we prepare for and respond to this storm,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Thursday.

What You Need To Know

More than a foot of snow could fall on Sunday, presenting Zohran Mamdani with a challenge as mayor. The preparation begins on Friday

How quickly and efficiently Mamdani responds to the storm will be critical. Past mayors have had their legacies tainted by how they handled snow

Starting Saturday morning, 2,000 sanitation workers will work 12-hour shifts around the clock to clear city streets

More than a foot of snow could fall on Sunday, presenting Mamdani with a challenge as mayor. The preparation begins on Friday. 

“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.” 

How quickly and efficiently Mamdani responds to the storm will be critical. 

Past mayors have had their legacies tainted by how they handled snow. 

Mayor John Lindsay didn’t dig the city out for days during a major blizzard in 1969 that killed more than 40 people. 

Then there was Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was in Bermuda during the Christmas storm of 2010. Roads were left unplowed for days, stranding city vehicles like buses and ambulances, and public transportation came to a near halt. 

“We did not do as good a job as we wanted to do, or as the city has a right to expect,” Bloomberg said in December 2010.  

In 2018, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio was caught off guard when a snowstorm hit harder than expected, leading to gridlock during the nightly commute.

“I’m upset that New Yorkers went through it. I don’t think it’s fair to say that the city agencies could’ve stopped all this,” de Blasio said in November 2018.  

Mamdani said he feels confident that the city and his administration are prepared. 

“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 practised at this work,” he said.

Starting Saturday morning, 2,000 sanitation workers will work 12-hour shifts around the clock to clear city streets.

At night, 700 salt spreaders will be out with the city under a code blue emergency for getting homeless New Yorkers into shelters. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who controls state roads, including the ability to declare a state of emergency due to extreme weather, had this warning: “Extreme cold can be deadly, absolutely deadly. So please, there’s been a lot of reports this year about cold weather, storms coming. This is one you need to take very seriously.” 

The mayor issued his own message to New Yorkers: “If you’re interested in buying some groceries or getting a new winter coat, today I would recommend is the day to do so. Do not leave it until the weekend.”