New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving an update on winter storm preparations Saturday before the city faces what could be its biggest snowstorm in five years. 

Mamdani is holding a news conference at the Spring Street Salt Shed in Manhattan, with the forecast calling for 8-12 inches of snow starting early tomorrow. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to assist NYC in its snowstorm response. Hochul said she was coordinating with the mayor.   

Facing his first major test as mayor, Mamdani on Friday said the city was well prepared for whatever the storm deals Sunday-Monday.

“Above all else, it’s going to be a weekend where your city is prepared,” he said. “Across every single level of government, we are working together to ensure that our streets are being kept clear, that New Yorkers are safeguarded and that the most vulnerable among us are being connected with shelter.”

Mamdani already said NYC public school students will not have a snow day Monday. A decision on whether to go with in-person or remote classes will be made by tomorrow at noon, he said. 

At his Friday news conference, the mayor also said more than 2,000 City Department of Sanitation workers would start 12-hour shifts Saturday morning, with 700 salt spreaders being deployed and approximately 700 million pounds of salt ready to go. 

“As soon as we see two inches of snow accumulate, we’re going to see 2,200 plows activate across this city,” Mamdani said. 

New Yorkers can monitor DSNY’s progress plowing roads in real time with the PlowNYC online tracker tool.

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