Blizzard to dump over 2 feet of snow on NYC
It is getting bigger and a lot closer to New York.
Al Gore is nowhere to be seen, and, thankfully, nowhere to be heard.
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'A massive blizzard touted as possibly the biggest in New York City history – will blanket the Big Apple Monday and Tuesday with at least 24 inches of snow, authorities said.
“Change your plans, change your behavior, change your approach starting right now,” Mayor de Blasio urged Sunday. “This is an unprecedented storm. We have to prepare that way.”
Snow is expected to begin falling just before sunrise on Monday before the serious snowfall kicks in late in the afternoon and through Tuesday morning’s rush, forecasters said.
Only twice in recorded weather history has New York City been hit by storms dumping at least two feet of snow — 26.4 inches on Dec. 26-27 of 1947; and Feb. 11-12, 2006, city officials said.
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We are facing one of the largest snowstorms in the history of the city. The early reports are 2 to 3 feet of snow,” de Blasio said. “This should become one of the top two or three snowstorms in the history of the city.”
The Department of Sanitation will have at least 2,400 employees working at all times during the storm, working in 12-hour shifts, authorities said.
Sanitation expects to use 2,100 plows in addition to another 4,200 plows from private contractors and other agencies, officials said. City Hall also announced that:
Public school campuses are set to open on Monday, but field trips and all after-school activities have been cancelled. Classes on Tuesday are expected to be closed.
Alternate-side parking regulations have been cancelled on Monday and Tuesday.
Garbage and recycling will be suspended Monday and Tuesday so New York’s Strongest can put full efforts into snow clearing.
“New Yorkers should not underestimate this storm. Assume the conditions will be unsafe,” de Blasio said. “When you can stay indoors stay indoors.”
City Hall urged New Yorkers to get to leave works as early as possible before snowfall ramps up on Monday afternoon.
“Tuesday is going to be a mess. We’re talking perhaps in excess of 15 inches (of snow) so Tuesday morning, going to work is going to be a mess,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines.
“Traveling Monday night and into the first half of Tuesday, it’s (road conditions) going to be very poor if not impossible. It certainly wouldn’t be recommended to be out and about traveling.”
As difficult as Monday morning’s commute will be, that’s a cake walk compared to what’s coming on Tuesday.
Commuters and pedestrians alike will have to deal with winds between 20 mph and 40 mph, dropping the real-feel temperature and blowing snow right into faces of New Yorkers, according to AccuWeather.
The high temperature in New York is set for 27 degrees on Tuesday — but with wind it’ll feel like 6 degrees.
“Even 3, 4, 5 inches (of snow) can bring travel down to a halt,” Kines said. “But you factor in foot of snow, throw in blowing and drifting you’re talking a lot of problems.”
Port Authority employees have been ordered to work 12-hour shift starting on Monday to get ready for snowfall, Gov. Cuomo said.
The agency is read to roll out 200 pieces of equipment that can clear out 500 tons of snow from local airports.
Sixty large pieces of snow-blasting equipment are ready to roll on to bridges and tunnels, the governor said.
“With a major winter storm approaching the state, I urge New Yorkers to take all necessary precautions and make preparations for the possibility that commutes will be disrupted on Monday and Tuesday,” Cuomo said.
“I have directed all state agencies to prepare for the snow storm and have equipment and resources in areas forecasted to be hit the hardest. We will continue to monitor the storm’s path as it approaches New York, and I urge people to pay attention to changing weather advisories as they prepare for the snow.”
http://nypost.com/2015/01/25/up-to-a-foot-of-snow-in-nyc-feared-in-next-big-storm/