New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed state agencies to prepare for a winter storm that will affect most of the state Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It appears that Mother Nature has another round of winter weather in store for most of the state, which is unsurprising, but the concern here is that this system has the potential to make commuting difficult on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Cuomo said. “State agencies are preparing emergency response assets and will assist any locality in need. On the individual level, I am urging all New Yorkers to be smart and know the weather before you head out on the roadways.”
Forecasters are predicting up to 8 inches of snow in some areas of the North County and the Adirondacks. Most other areas in the state including New York City and Long Island are expected to see 2 to 4 inches of snow, or a mix of sleet and freezing rain.
The National Weather Service is reporting that snow could fall at a rate of 1 inch per hour in some locations on Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night.
Across the state the temperature is expected to range from mid 20s to low 30s, but overnight some road surfaces may become slippery due to dropping temperatures and precipitation. Drivers are asked to take caution and plan travel routes accordingly.
In response to Cuomo’s immediate press release, several state agencies have acted accordingly to prepare for the oncoming storm.
The Department of Transportation is prepared to respond with 3,642 supervisors and operators. Statewide assets that are ready for today’s storm include:
- 1,622 large plow trucks
- 177 medium duty trucks with plows
- 313 large loaders
- 11 pickups with trucks
- 38 snowblowers
- 52 tow plows
- 31 tracked excavators
- 42 wheeled excavators
- 15 tree crew bucket trucks
- 5 traffic signal trucks
- 79 chippers
Cuomo’s Office says the Thruway Authority has 692 operators and supervisors ready to respond with 242 large snow plows, 100 medium snow plows, 10 tow plows and 61 loaders across the state with more than 122,000 tons of road salt on hand.
The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download its mobile app which is available for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway here.
State Police are prepared to deploy additional Troopers as needed to affected areas. All State Police specialized vehicles, including four-wheel drive vehicles and Utility Task Vehicles, are staged and ready for immediate response. All Troop emergency power and communications equipment has been tested.
For a complete listing of weather watches and warnings in your area, visit your area’s National Weather Service website.
