Code Blue, 2,300 Plows and Remote School on the Table as Storm Targets New York City

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday detailed New York City’s extensive preparations for a major winter storm expected to bring up to 8 to 9 inches of snow, high winds, and dangerous cold through Monday, urging New Yorkers to stay off the roads and remain indoors.

Snow is forecast to begin around midnight and intensify by about 5 a.m. Sunday, with the heaviest bands expected in the late morning and early afternoon, bringing wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour and whiteout or near-blizzard conditions. By Sunday evening, snow is expected to transition to sleet, with lingering precipitation into Monday and a prolonged period of frigid temperatures that could be the coldest sustained stretch the city has seen in roughly eight years.

“New York, whatever comes for it, this city is ready,” Mamdani said, stressing that agencies have spent days preparing for both snow and extreme cold. He urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel on Sunday and Monday, when a hazardous travel advisory will be in effect, and instead “put a warm sweater on” and stay inside.

The Department of Sanitation will deploy more than 2,000 workers per 12-hour shift, supported by over 700 salt spreaders and approximately 2,300 plow vehicles, in what the mayor called the largest snow-fighting operation in the country. Crews have already brined highways and major roadways, and parks workers have pre-salted park pathways, while NYCHA has boosted staffing to respond quickly to any weather-related repairs.

NYC Emergency Management has activated its winter weather plan, coordinating daily with city and state agencies, utilities, and the National Weather Service, and will open its Emergency Operations Center on Sunday to monitor conditions and emergency response in real time. FDNY and EMS have increased readiness, including extra ambulances, snow chains, and tow trucks on standby, with NYPD prepared to escort plows and ambulances if needed.

A Code Blue remains in effect citywide, with homeless outreach teams canvassing all five boroughs to bring people indoors and connect them with shelter, and all DHS shelters and drop-in centers operating with an open-door policy so no one seeking shelter is turned away. New Yorkers are urged to call 311 — which will route calls through 911 during Code Blue — if they or someone they see needs access to warmth.

Mamdani said the city will decide by 12 p.m. Sunday whether New York City public schools will hold in-person classes or switch to remote learning on Monday, emphasizing that safety for students, parents, and educators will be the primary factor. He noted that teachers and staff have ensured students have necessary devices and that the Department of Education has stress-tested its systems to handle hundreds of thousands of students logging on if classes move online.

The mayor also highlighted efforts to correct shortcomings from previous storms by analyzing 311 reports to identify areas where plowing or salting was inadequate and to ensure no neighborhood receives a lower level of service because of its ZIP code. “Every single New Yorker is going to receive the same level of service,” he said, adding that city agencies are “working in lockstep” to prepare, protect residents, and quickly get the city back on its feet after the storm.