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A Wisconsin family appeared on the Today Show despite a historic snowstorm sweeping through New York City
“These kids, they’re from Wisconsin. They’re like, ‘Really? You guys are shutting it down for this?’ ” joked co-host Craig Melvin
The storm led N.Y.C. Mayor Zohran Mamdani to declare a local state of emergency, temporarily close roads to non-essential traffic and close schools for a traditional snow day
The major blizzard covering New York City has kept most people indoors — except for one family determined to make it on TV!
Today regularly sees swarms of onlookers and visitors gathered outside Studio 1A, hoping to be featured on the popular morning television program. But in the wake of a massive Nor’easter that hit N.Y.C. particularly hard, the space outside the studio was oddly quiet.
Only a select few had shown up and braved the snow on Feb. 23, said Today co-host Craig Melvin.
“People hunkered down, but we found some folks who decided to come out and brave it,” Melvin said as the camera panned to a family of five from Wisconsin. “They were just strolling through Midtown.”
The two parents and their three kids — all of them bundled in winter coats, hats and gloves —grinned and waved at the camera as snow fell rapidly around them.
“These kids, they’re from Wisconsin. They’re like, ‘Really? You guys are shutting it down for this?’ ” Melvin joked, as another co-host said, “Midwesterners are hearty people.”
Wisconsin routinely experiences intense winters with heavy snow and ice, especially in the areas surrounding Lake Michigan due to lake enhancement, per the National Weather Service.
The Wisconsin family’s Today appearance comes as N.Y.C. saw the most snow in over five years, per CNN, and deployed an estimated 2,300 snowplows throughout the city.
Today Show co-hosts.
TODAY/Instagram
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On Sunday, Feb. 22, N.Y.C. Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency ahead of the snowstorm. City streets were closed to all non-essential vehicle traffic from 9 p.m. on Sunday to 12 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, to ensure emergency responders and essential workers could travel as safely as possible.
Additionally, Mamdani stated all public schools in the city (except for those operating as warming centers) would be closed on Monday due to the intense weather, instead observing a traditional “snow day” without remote instruction.
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