Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency for New York as the state faces an extended blizzard warning. The emergency order covers 22 counties statewide.
Kathy Hochul, governor of New York, has declared a state of emergency for New York. (Bloomberg)
“This is one to take seriously. A blizzard can truly paralyze an entire region,” the governor warned on Saturday.
Hochul also urged residents along the shores of Long Island to evacuate if possible.
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Blizzard warning
A blizzard warning is in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday across Long Island, New York City, Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.
Snowfall forecast
According to the National Weather Service, snowfall totals across New York are expected to range between 13 and 17 inches from Sunday through Monday.
Forecasters note there is a slight chance that some areas could see higher accumulations of 23 to 24 inches.
Coastal flooding
Widespread coastal flooding will be possible between Sunday night and Monday morning, particularly along Jamaica Bay, Staten Island, the Battery, and parts of the Bronx and northern Queens.
Coney Island, Massapequa, Sayville, Westhampton and Montauk could also be hit.
Zohran Mamdani responds
Zohran Mamdani said New York City would expand on efforts it used to deal with a major snowfall weeks ago. However, officials have not yet decided whether public schools will open Monday.
“We saw on Friday there was expectation that the likelihood was that we were going to face maybe 3 to 4 inches of snow. Quickly that then changed,” Mamdani said. “So we want to make sure that we make a decision based on up-to-date and accurate information.”