Saturday, January 23, 2016

Winter Storm Jonas: 3 Dead in NYC, Gov. Cuomo Bans Travel in City

Eric Chaney
Published: January 23,2016



 
Three people have died in New York City as a result of Winter Storm Jonas, WNBC reports.  All three deaths are from shoveling snow, according to the NYPD, two in Queens and one in Staten Island.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency Saturday and issued a travel ban for the city starting at 2:30 p.m. and extending, according to a tweet later sent by Cuomo, until 7 a.m. Sunday. The governor's order bans travel on roads in the city and elsewhere. In addition, all Port Authority bridges and tunnels are closed until further notice.
"Stay off the road," the NYPD tweeted. "We don't want to have to arrest you. Last year no one got arrested. People made the right decisions. We are looking for that again today."
The MTA is suspending above-ground subway service but has released a map highligting which underground lines will be open after 4 p.m. Service on the Long Island Rail Road, Staten Island Rail Road and Metro-North will be suspended at 4:00 p.m. Some rail services may be delayed or suspended on a case-by-case basis as conditions warrant, so commuters should not wait until 4:00 p.m. to head home, the governor said.
A plow brushes snow from the sidewalk in Times Square Saturday morning, Jan. 23, in Manhattan, New York.
(Andrew Mitchell/weather.com)
“Travel conditions throughout downstate New York are dangerous,” Cuomo said. “I urge all New Yorkers to stay home, stay warm, and allow our emergency personnel to do their jobs.”
The ban also prompted The Broadway League to cancel all matinee and evening performances on Saturday.
"The safety and security of theatregoers and employees is everyone's primary concern," president Charlotte St. Martin said in a press release. "We expect normal operations to resume for tomorrow’s Sunday matinees.”
 Here's the latest on what the tristate region will see:
  • The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for New York City, parts of Long Island and coastal Connecticut throughout Saturday until Sunday at 7 a.m.
  • Snowfall totals of 1 to 2 feet overall are expected through Sunday
  • Heavy snow and dangerous, damaging winds are possible, with the most-severe impacts forecast for Saturday morning through Sunday morning.
(Check Here for Your Forecast)
Below, the latest updates on impacts from Jonas for the New York, Long Island and Connecticut area. Stay tuned for the latest updates as they come in.

New York Area Snowfall Forecast
In addition, the NWS announced predicted heavy snow bands would continue to develop throughout the day.
NWS New York NY ✔ @NWSNewYorkNY
11:05a: We updated our snowfall forecast for this . Heavy snow bands continue to develop through the day

New York City/Long Island

Blizzard warnings remain in effect early Saturday for New York City and Long Island until Sunday morning, The National Weather Service reports. Gov. Cuomo announced all travel in New York City would be banned at 2:30p.m. on Saturday, due to road hazardous conditions. 
According to the NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information there were at least 200 crashes in the city between 8 a.m. and noon. The New York City Emergency Management office cautioned residents of "flying debris" on Saturday morning with high gusts being reported "in excess of 40 miles per hour."
In addition to the travel ban and transit closures, alternate side parking was suspended on Saturday.
“Saturday, I think I would say most likely Sunday as well, I think it’s going to be necessary for people to stay off the roads,” de Blasio told CBS New York. “Let our first responders; our emergency vehicles have the ability to move around. Let our sanitation plows do their work.”
KS Montoya @KSmontoya
This would be a nicer view if I wasn't working it … http://ift.tt/1SDZMLP 

Gov. Cuomo told CBS New York the state is ready to aid local governments with equipment and personnel when and where it’s needed, including 200 Department of Transportation trucks like plows and salt spreaders. Additionally, Cuomo said 600 National Guard members are ready for deployment.
Cuomo also announced the closure of all State Parks and Department of Environmental Conservation properties and facilities located within the impacted areas, including facilities in Suffolk, Nassau, New York City, Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam Counties. 
Bus Maintainers at Michael J. Quill Depot chaining up a bus Friday for service during Winter Storm Jonas.
(NYCT Buses)
All Saturday afternoon American Airlines flights from New York's three airports will be cancelled, The Associated Press reported Thursday. American also announced they will waive travel rebooking fees ahead of the storm. United Airlines announced Friday that it would be suspending all flights in the New York City metro area on Saturday.
New York Amtrak service is operating on a modified schedule with some routes cancelled over the weekend. Check here for the latest service alerts. 
Various sporting events have been postponed, including the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders game at Barclays Center Saturday night. Citibike services remain shutdown indefinitely for New York City.
Numerous schools and colleges announced they would be closed on Saturday. For an updated list, click here.

New York State

In addition to New York City, Governor Cuomo announced a state of emergency in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange counties. A travel ban in downstate New York goes into effect at 2:30 p.m.
“The winter storm is expected to have a significant impact with potentially hazardous conditions, and we are taking all necessary precautions to keep New Yorkers safe,” the governor said in a press release. “The state is working around the clock to monitor the storm and proactively deploy resources to communities as needed. We encourage New Yorkers in the downstate region to stay informed, plan ahead, and avoid any unnecessary travel as the storm progresses.”
Melissa DeRosa @melissadderosa
Gov Cuomo assisting a stranded driver on the Cross Island Pkway

Cuomo urged residents to take precautions and said that the state will deploy “nearly 600 plows and 150,000 tons of road salt,” as well as other resources.
To the north, Dutchess County will see much lower snow totals than New York City, but residents in Poughkeepsie are preparing nonetheless.
Numerous schools and businesses were closed Saturday, and Bob Cohn, a former Town of Poughkeepsie resident who happened to be back in town, bought 200 pounds of salt and an ice scraper for the car on Saturday.
"We've got to take care of our neighbors who can't shovel and can't do these things for themselves," Cohn told the Pughkeespie Journal. "Don't ask, just help if you see they're having trouble. When it gets cold like this, frostbite will start to set in fast. You've got to get someplace warm because you won't last very long out there."

Connecticut

Winter Storm Jonas pounded the southern part of Connecticut on Saturday, with Southern New Haven; southern Middlesex; southern New London counties getting around a foot of accumulation. The snow should continue until 7 a.m. Sunday local time.
In some areas, coastal flood watches or advisories are in effect throughout the weekend.
Officials said most weekend flights from the Bradley International Airport in Hartford County should go as planned. "At this time, unless the storm tracks in a different way, we shouldn't have any impact to Dallas, Miami or Chicago out of Bradley," American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein told The Hartford Courant. Still, individuals with scheduled travel this weekend should check with airlines in advance of plans.
MORE: Winter Storm Jonas in Photos
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