Governor Cuomo Declares State of Emergency Across New York City, Long Island and Westchester

Governor Andrew Cuomo today declared a state of emergency across New York City, Long Island and Westchester. Additionally, a travel advisory has been issued from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, with the worst weather expected from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sustained winds of 25-30 mph are expected with gusts of up to 60 mph across the downstate region. The coastal system is expected to bring 6 to 10 inches of snow to New York City; 4 to 8 inches to Nassau County; 9 to 12 inches to Suffolk County; and 4 to 8 inches to Westchester County. The system will also create blizzard conditions that could lead to blowing snow and whiteouts on roadways, with coastal flooding possible and overnight drops in temperatures causing hazardous black ice.

Yesterday, the Governor activated the State Emergency Operations Center at a Level 4 enhanced monitoring to track potentially dangerous winter storm conditions from two different low-pressure systems - one approaching from the north and the other affecting coastal areas - as well as frigid temperatures that will overspread the state through this weekend.

"In the face of blizzard conditions and freezing temperatures, I am declaring a state of emergency across New York City, Long Island and Westchester to urge New Yorkers to stay home, stay off the roads, and stay safe," said Governor Cuomo. "We will continue to monitor the storm and have deployed hundreds of assets and personnel across the state and on Long Island, ready to respond and assist impacted communities. I ask all New Yorkers to stay informed, and continue to prepare for cold and snow."

Dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills will continue through the weekend and wind chill watches will remain in effect for all of Upstate New York. The northern system is also expected to bring 8-10 inches of snow in the typical lake effect snow areas of upstate.  Low pressure systems to the north and moving up the Atlantic coast will bring snow across all of New York State today through the weekend. Into this weekend, the arctic temperatures are expected to continue with the majority of the state seeing temperatures only reaching highs in the single digits and wind chills as low as 40 below.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo