NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) –Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City public schools will switch to remote learning on Tuesday due to an expected winter storm.
The storm is forecasted to dump heavy, wet snow, with up to 3 inches expected in the city and 6-10 inches possible north of the city, according to AccuWeather.
A Winter Storm Watch was issued for all five boroughs and most of Long Island from 4 a.m. Tuesday until Tuesday evening, while a Winter Storm Warning was issued for North Jersey, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut during that time.
"We expect slippery roads and limited visibility," Adams said. "And so we're strongly encouraging New Yorkers, if you don't have to go out, stay home."
"We want to minimize the number of vehicles on the road so that our apparatus and vehicles can actually deal with the removal of snow and make our movement of vehicles in the city more feasible," Adams continued. "We're doing everything in our powers to keep New Yorkers safe. We want New Yorkers to do everything in their powers to continue to be safe by, again, staying off the roads."
Schools Chancellor David Banks emphasized that schools will still be in session but in a remote learning format. "Long gone are the days of just a snow day, and everybody just has off," said Banks. "So we're going to have a big snowstorm, most likely, but our students, we expect them to be fully engaged."
All New York Catholic elementary schools will also be closed on Tuesday.
"We need to minimize how many days our children are just sitting at home making snowmen like I did, and they need to catch up," Adams said.
Banks expressed confidence that schools would be open as usual on Wednesday, citing the preparedness of the school system. "One of the good things that in fact emerged from the pandemic was our preparedness to be ready for moments like this," said Banks. "And I think the school system is more than prepared. We'll be assessing our effectiveness every step of the way."
Regarding the decision to hold remote learning instead of canceling school altogether, Banks said, "By three o'clock, the school day is over. They'll have plenty of time to get out into the snow and still have some fun. So, we don't want the kids to not have fun. I'm not a Grinch. But we do want them to be actively engaged in school and get the most out of it."
Adams added, "I did not have internet or remote learning as a child. I wish we would have, but we have it, we better use it because we have to catch up and exceed where we are. If you are a parent and you are not willing to navigate a computer for your child, that's a sad commentary."
The National Weather Service described the upcoming storm as "major," with periods of "moderate to heavy snow" expected from the Hudson Valley down to the coasts, along with gusty winds and possible coastal flooding.