NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency starting at 6 a.m. on Monday, as a major winter storm dumped snow on the New York City area.
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the five boroughs, Nassau County, eastern Suffolk County, most of New Jersey, the lower Hudson Valley and southwestern Connecticut until 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
At a news briefing Monday afternoon, de Blasio advised New Yorkers to continue to avoid non-essential travel.
"Keep doing it until this is all over. Because it ain't over 'til it's over," he said.
The snow falling on the city is expected to remain heavy through Monday night, creating blizzard conditions with near-zero visibility at times, according to AccuWeather. Areas near the coast are set to see some sleet and rain mix in with the snow on occasion.
Wind gusts are expected to reach 50 mph at times, and while temperatures will hover around 30 degrees, RealFeels will be in the single digits. AccuWeather is predicting a total of 18 to 24 inches of snow for the city, while some northern and western suburbs could get more than two feet of snow.
Sussex, Morris, northern Somerset, western Passaic, Rockland and Westchester counties were expected to be hit hardest by the storm.
Nassau and Suffolk counties, meanwhile, are expected to get anywhere from 12 to 18 inches of snow.
The snow is slated to be lighter into Tuesday, and while there could be some heavier bursts, they will be more spotty than they were on Monday.
UPDATES:
- State-run vaccination sites at SUNY Stony Brook, Jones Beach, Aqueduct Racetrack, Javits Center and Westchester County Center will be closed on Tuesday, with appointments rescheduled.
- LIRR passenger train service is temporarily suspended.
- New Jersey's state offices and coronavirus vaccine mega-sites will remain closed on Tuesday; vaccine appointments have been rescheduled.
- Public schools will continue all-remote learning on Tuesday as "blizzard conditions" continue across New York City.
- All COVID-19 vaccine appointments in New York City are canceled through Tuesday. They will be rescheduled.
- LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports canceled all commercial flights on Monday.
- The walkway at the RFK Bridge is closed.
- The MTA suspended aboveground service around 2 p.m. MetroNorth has suspended service; the last trains left Grand Central at 3 p.m.
-A hazardous travel advisory is in effect for New York City on both Monday and Tuesday.
- Alternate side parking in the city is canceled Monday and Tuesday.
- Open Restaurants was canceled on Monday.
Sanitation Commissioner Ed Grayson on Monday afternoon said workers have been out since Sunday night salting roads and clearing snow.
“The continued message is to please stay off the road. We encourage all New York City residents to stay off the road if you don’t have to travel, if you’re not an essential traveler," he said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday directed state agencies to prepare emergency response assets, anticipating at least a a foot of snow in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. He said deploying resources would be difficult because the storm is hitting a large swath of the state.
"New York is directly in the path of a major storm poised to become a nor'easter as it approaches the east coast late Sunday night," Cuomo said in a statement Sunday.
"State agencies are already in the process of deploying resources to areas expected to be the hardest hit. While this work continues, we will remain in constant communication with our local partners to provide any support that may be necessary, as well as with utility companies to ensure power outages are immediately addressed," he added.