Heavy, wet snow accompanied by windy conditions belted Westchester, Fairfield, parts of the Hudson Valley and the New York metro area Tuesday making for hazardous travel conditions. Schools were closed as were many government offices and businesses. The New York City schools canceled in-person leaning and shifted to remote learning. However, computer problems resulted in many youngsters being unable to sign into the system. New York Mayor Eric Adams urged people to stay home if at all possible.
All Westchester schools were closed for today and approximately 800 schools in Connecticut were closed. There were early reports of 6 to 10 inches of snow in the Hudson Valley. Metro-North modified schedules but reported that trains generally were running well.
Bradley International Airport at Hartford reported that it was open and snow removal operations were ongoing. As of noontime Tuesday, 11% of the flights had been cancelled and roughly 6% were delayed. Additional cancellations or delays were possible through today and into tomorrow as airlines continued adjusting their schedules in response to the storm. Passengers were advised to check with their airline to confirm the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reported Tuesday morning that the state had road crews and State Police at work and there were 6,400 utility workers are standing by to deal with any power lines brought down as a result of winds bringing down branches or trees.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said that he was surprised that the roads looked good when he first awoke but with the high rate of snowfall the pavement was soon covered.
The Westchester County Airport was not formally closed but most morning arriving and departing flights were either delayed or canceled. Alevo Airlines reported that all of Tuesday’s flights to and from Tweed/New Haven Airport would be delayed until Wednesday.
There were numerous accidents reported due to icy roads.
In Stamford, Mayor Caroline Simmons had declared a snow emergency through 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday. She said that snow accumulation of 9 to 12 inches was possible and that wind gusts could reach as high as 40 mph and could bring down tree branches. She encouraged residents to stay off the roads so that city crews can clear them.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano urged residents to stay safe if they venture out. While City Hall was closed, he praised the Department of Public Works for “getting out there and getting the job done.”
Rockland County Executive Ed Day said, “If you are thinking of hitting the road you should rethink that. We are still in the middle of an active nor’easter and the roads are still somewhat slushy with some blacktop.”
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont reported that the state has more than 600 trucks and more than 900 staff responding to the storm and clearing roads. Lamont ordered state buildings closed for the day because of the storm.
“I strongly encourage everyone in Connecticut to stay off the roads on Tuesday unless absolutely necessary, particularly during the height of the storm so that plow crews can clear the roads and keep everyone safe,” Lamont said. “Please check on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly or need assistance, to make sure they are safe.”
The National Weather Service in its outlook for the area as far east as New London said that said that a winter storm warning remained in effect until 6 p.m. on Tuesday. It predicted total snow accumulations of 6 to 8 inches with locally higher amounts possible in heavier bands.
“Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. The heavy snow load on trees could bring down scattered branches with power outages possible,” the Weather Service said.
