STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The U.S. Postal Service is delivering letters and packages on Monday despite a major storm that buried Staten Island in about a foot of snow.
However, some deliveries may be delayed because of weather-related safety conditions.
Staten Island is blanketed in snow on the morning of Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. The U.S. Postal Service is delivering mail and packages, but weather conditions may cause delays and disruptions in service. This mailbox is located on Renwick Avenue in Sunnyside.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
“The Postal Service will make every effort to advance mail and packages wherever it is safe to do so, but there may be delays due to conditions out of our control,” said a statement supplied by a spokesman for the Postal Service.
Clear pathways to mailboxes
The Postal Service is asking customers to clear snow and ice from steps, sidewalks and other pathways leading to their mailboxes.
“Carriers are not required to deliver to locations where safety issues — such as icy steps, snow-packed paths or icy overhangs — create perilous conditions,” according to information provided by the Postal Service.
Painted porches and steps may be especially slippery. In addition to clearing snow and ice and salting, slick surfaces may need to be covered with rubber-backed mats.
“In those situations when delivery is suspended, we look for the customer to contact local postal officials to discuss ways to eliminate the hazard,” said information provided by the Postal Service. “Sometimes we are able to offer suggestions that help restore delivery quickly.”
Slips, trips and falls are the main causes of accidental injuries among carriers in any type of weather.
What happens if the mail cannot be delivered?
Customers will not receive any type of formal notification, but the letter carrier will try to deliver the mail when it is safe. In the interim, mail will be held at the local post office where it may be picked up by the customers.
Outlook for future mail delivery
“This could be another severe winter and nobody will feel that more than letter carriers who are out in it daily to deliver their mail to their customers,” said a statement from the Postal Service. “Our employees have received praise for their efforts from customers and various news outlets and we know that this winter is not over yet.
“We look forward to an improved forecast over the next few days which we hope will give customers an opportunity to clear any snow and ice which may have impeded their carriers in completing delivery.”
For details regarding service disruption and further information, visit the Postal Service website.
Staten Island is blanketed in snow on the morning of Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. The U.S. Postal Service is delivering mail and packages, but weather conditions may cause delays and disruptions in service. This post office is at Manor Road and Jewett Avenue in Castleton Corners.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)