NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Schools will go back to in-person learning on Friday and outdoor dining will return to all five boroughs Thursday evening after a winter storm pounded the city and region with the most snow seen in years, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Schools will reopen on Friday after switching to all-remote Thursday, de Blasio said at a morning briefing.
The mayor initially said outdoor dining may only resume in Manhattan on Thursday, but he later said it could return citywide at 6 p.m.
"Our outdoor dining structures held up very well during the worst of the storm," de Blasio tweeted.
Alternate Side Parking will be suspended through Saturday to help with snow removal, de Blasio said.
People ride sleds down a hill in Prospect Park in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn on December 17, 2020 in New York City.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
He said the storm brought the most snow the five boroughs had seen in nearly five years.
"Already we know that the amount of snow we saw in the last 24 hours is the most we've seen since January 2016," he said. "So it's really been years since we've had this kind of challenge."
The mayor said the snow should end by 1 p.m. after dropping at least 11 inches in the Bronx and up to 8 inches across the rest of the city.
Our plows and spreaders are out there NYC! Track them here: https://t.co/XKuhq4Oh7Z and remember to stay off the roads so #NewYorksStrongest can do their job #Gail pic.twitter.com/qfSTFEoF03
— NYC Sanitation (@NYCSanitation) December 17, 2020
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a briefing Thursday that he was declaring a state of emergency in 18 counties in the Capital Region, Southern Tier and Hudson Valley. They include Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties.
The governor said there were 2,000 snowplows, 478 loaders and 3,500 Department of Transportation and Thruway personnel out, not including city and county personnel.
"If you do not have to be on the roads, please don't travel today," he said.
The state had at least 9,100 power outages, 600 auto accidents and two deaths because of the storm, Cuomo said.
AccuWeather
The Tri-State woke up to a blanket of snow on Thursday, more than a foot in some areas, with swirling snow, gusty winds, icy roads and frigid temperatures expected to continue through the morning as the biggest snowstorm in years rolled through.
A winter storm warning that was in effect for a majority of the area, including New York City, ended at 1 p.m. Wind gusts could still top 35 mph over the day.
By the time the storm is over Thursday, 8 to 12 inches of snow are expected in the city, with more than a foot in areas to the northwest in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. Long Island should see 4 to 8 inches.
By Thursday morning, parts of New Jersey and Connecticut had seen well over 8 inches of snow, while much of the city had clocked well over 6 inches, with snow still falling and totals expected to rise.
Lynbrook on Long Island Thursday morning.
Parts of the Bronx saw 10 inches by 11 a.m., while areas of Manhattan recorded 9 inches. Central Park had 10 inches—more than double the 4.8 inches recorded all of last year. Jamaica, Queens had 11.5 inches. Snow was a bit lighter in Brooklyn, where 6.5 inches dropped in Coney Island.
Parts of Suffolk and Nassau counties on Long Island got nearly 8 inches or more.
There was nearly 13 inches in Fairfield, Connecticut, and over 10 inches in Middlesex county in New Jersey. White Plains in Westchester saw 11 inches. A whopping 42 inches were recorded in Binghamton in Upstate New York.
AccuWeather
It will be windy and very cold Thursday morning and into the afternoon, with snow or flurries popping up that could be heavy in some areas. Highs will be in the upper 20s or low 30s.
New York City's Department of Sanitation issued a "snow alert" and the city's Office of Emergency Management issued a hazardous travel advisory through Thursday.
Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in New Jersey and Gov. Ned Lamont banned tractor trailer and tandem trailers from all limited access highways.
Murphy said Thursday morning that the state of emergency remained in effect. He said state offices, which closed at 1 p.m. Wednesday, would have a delayed reopening of 11 a.m. Thursday.
The governor said "the storm pretty much met the forecast" but that "we're not out of the woods yet." He said there were blackouts across the state, with the bulk of them along the shore and to the northwest. Troopers responded to 207 accidents and 426 motorist aid calls.
Murphy said the storm delayed the delivery of Pfizer's COVID vaccine to about 35 hospitals in the state by several hours or "half a day."
"I think this storm did disrupt some amount of delivery of this vaccine," Murphy said, adding that "I'm not aware of any place expecting it that won't get it. It just might be a little bit later than otherwise expected."
The storm's impact was felt across the region. Thousands of customers were without power in New Jersey, Westchester and on Long Island, however few outages were reported in the city.
The storm downed trees and wires and led to widespread collisions on the region's roadways, creating extensive delays for drivers into Thursday. Twenty vehicles were involved in a collision on the Henry Hudson Parkway as weather conditions deteriorated rapidly Wednesday evening. NY State Troopers reported more than 500 crashes statewide overnight.
Express service was suspended on the subways and widespread delays were reported throughout the morning. The LIRR was operating on an "enhanced weekend schedule" on Thursday. Most Metro-North trains were on or close to schedule.
NJ Transit rail and bus service remained suspended Thursday morning. Bus and Access Link service were set to resume at 12 p.m., while rail service was to come back on a rolling basis.
A delivery person rides their bike down Church Avenue in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn on December 16, 2020 in New York City.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
While most highways in New Jersey remained in good shape, including the NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, commercial restrictions on roads weren't expected to be lifted until 11 a.m.
A ban on empty and tandem tractor trailers on all MTA bridges and tunnels was set to be lifted at 4 p.m.
Delays and cancelations were reported at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.
Dozens of districts canceled classes across the region.
After the snow tapers off, it's forecast to be brisk and frigid into Thursday night, with lows in the 20s in the city and teens in the suburbs. The cold conditions could lead to hazardous conditions as snow sticks to roadways.
It will be sunny but cold on Friday. The high will be about 32.
Patrons exit the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) train and are met with snow flurries on December 16, 2020 in Bethpage, New York.Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
People walk through Manhattan in a snow storm on December 16, 2020 in New York City.Spencer Platt/Getty Images
