NEW YORK – New York City has been experiencing a wallop of heavy snow, strong wind and hazardous travel conditions since Wednesday afternoon as the Northeast and mid-Atlantic areas are hammered by winter storm Gail.
The New York City Emergency Management has issued a hazardous travel advisory for Wednesday and Thursday, expecting eight to 12 inches of snow accumulation in the city, reports Xinhua news agency.
“The combination of heavy snow and breezing conditions could cause near-blizzard conditions,” warned a release by New York City on Wednesday.
New Yorkers are advised to work remotely and refrain from unnecessary travel.
The Sanitation Department of New York will dispatch around 2,000 plows and hundreds of salt-spreaders when more than two inches of snow accumulates.
As of 9.45 pm local time, Rego Park in Queens borough has had six inches of snow accumulation, according to the latest snowfall report by the National Weather Service (NWS).
Islip Airport Observer on Long Island reported rain mixed with sleet at around 11.30 pm local time on Wednesday, according to the NWS.
Half of New York State could see 12 to 18 inches of snow accumulation with possible coastal flooding and power outage in New York City and Long Island, according to a release by the New York State government.
Moreover, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it is implementing a shutdown in the night and will operate on an enhanced weekend schedule.
The winter blast came days after the beginning of the US vaccination campaign.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Wednesday that the government is tracking the vaccine shipments precisely, expressing a belief that the companies transporting the vaccines can navigate the storm.
— BERNAMA
