A paralyzing blizzard with white-out conditions is expected to dump more than two feet of snow on the tri-state Monday and Tuesday, and Gov. Cuomo is urging commuters to stay home or leave work early on Monday.
Roads are expected to be treacherous, and residents are urged to avoid driving. No delays or cancellations are expected on mass transit for Monday morning, but the evening rush could be more difficult for commuters.
"Commuters should consider working from home on Monday if possible to avoid disruptions from likely road and public transportation closures," Cuomo said in a statement.
The MTA says normal rush hour service is expected for Monday morning, but reduced or canceled service on the LIRR, Metro North and other services are possible for the evening rush. LIRR waiting rooms will remain open at all hours through Friday to accommodate commuters waiting for trains during the cold weather. All MTA buses will be equipped with chains or snow tires by Monday morning.
NJ Transit will have normal service for the Monday morning commute as well, but officials say cancellations are possible as the storm progresses. NJ Transit will offer full system-wide cross-honoring. PATH trains are also expected to run normally for the Monday morning commute.
Commuter rail service could stop across the MTA on Tuesday.
Pedestrians will face slippery conditions and city parks will be dangerous because of the possibility of falling tree limbs. Alternate side of the street parking has been suspended for Monday and Tuesday.
Mayor de Blasio is also urging New Yorkers to "prepare for something worse than we have seen before."
The storm is expected to dump 18 to 24 inches of snow on New York City, and more than two feet in some areas farther east, beginning Monday and continuing through Tuesday night, according to Storm Team 4.
That could easily place this storm among the biggest the city has ever seen: The largest snowstorm recorded in the city was a February 2006 storm that dumped 26.9 inches on Central Park.
"This literally could be one of the top two or three largest storms in the history of this city," Mayor de Blasio said at a Sunday news conference detailing storm preparations.
"Don't underestimate this storm," he said. "Prepare for the worst."
De Blasio said that city schools would be open Monday, with after-school activities canceled, and school would likely be closed Tuesday.
Light snow is expected to spread east throughout the day Monday, Storm Team 4 says. It is expected to accumulate 2 to 3 inches an hour beginning Monday night, said the National Weather Service, which issued a blizzard warning for the region. Snow will pick up in intensity at about 8 or 9 p.m. Monday, with near-whiteout conditions expected, Storm Team 4 says. Winds are expected to reach 30 to 40 mph, with gusts of 55 to 65 mph.
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New York City sanitation workers were scheduled to work 12-hour shifts manning 500 salt spreaders and, later, 1,500 snow plows to clear the city's 6,000 miles of roads.
“We will ensure that all hands are on deck for this crisis," the mayor said.
Airlines are offering flexible rescheduling for travelers already booked on flights who wanted to depart earlier or later to avoid the storm.
Meanwhile, a coastal flood warning was in effect for early Monday morning on the Jersey Shore for moderate flooding following Sunday night's high tide. A coastal flood watch for other shore areas was in effect through Monday morning for moderate flooding.
Some grocery stores had supply shortages Sunday night as residents scrambled to stock up ahead of the storm, leaving some shelves bare.
“There's no water, and there's a lot of stuff that's been completely depleted, which is crazy," said Tamar Kupelian, a late-night shopper at a New Jersey PathMark. "I don't know what everybody's needs are, but sometimes it's overrated."
The anticipated weather follows right on the heels of a wet, slushy Saturday that hit the region with a mix of snow and rain. Up to 9 inches of snow fell in areas north of New York City, with the largest snowfall recorded in Sussex County, New Jersey. Other areas in northern New Jersey, Westchester and Connecticut saw between 6 and 9 inches of snow, while New York City received between 4 and 6 inches of snow, mixed with rain.
On Saturday, snowfall records for the day were set in Newark, Bridgeport, Islip and at JFK International Airport. In Newark, 5.1 inches of snowfall broke the record set on Jan. 24, 1948.
