NYC Area Braces for Ice as Sub-Freezing Temperatures Persist

Lingering Snow and Freezing Temperatures

• ❄️ Slush on streets is expected to freeze overnight, with this pattern repeating throughout the week due to consistently sub-freezing temperatures.
• 🥶 Tomorrow morning will be significantly colder, with temperatures potentially 10 degrees lower than this morning, and wind chills making it feel much colder.
• ⚠️ A First Alert weather day is declared for tomorrow and extends through Friday, with each morning expected to be brutally cold.

Road Conditions and Snow Removal Challenges

• 🚧 Many streets remain snow-covered, making navigation difficult, especially on narrower roads where two cars cannot pass simultaneously.
• 🌨️ Despite plows making multiple passes, snow removal efforts are far from over, with sanitation departments working to clear streets and sidewalks.
• 🚫 Shoveling snow and ice into the roadway is illegal, unsafe, and impedes snow removal operations.
• 💨 The city plans to begin snowmelting operations by trucking away large amounts of snow and using machines that can melt up to 120 tons per hour.

Cold Weather Safety and City Response

• ⚠️ Concerns are high for the homeless population, with outreach efforts being redoubled to ensure first responders and social workers are checking on individuals.
• 🏠 Over 200 people have been convinced to seek shelter since the storm began, and 311 remains a resource for those in need.
• 🏫 New York City public schools will reopen for in-person learning, after shifting to remote learning, with minor reported hiccups.
• 🚌 NJ Transit will operate on a severe weather schedule for rail service, with fewer trains running, while bus and light rail services will be on regular schedules.

Heating Issues Amidst Cold Snap

• 🏠 Some tenants in East Orange, New Jersey, are experiencing intermittent heat and power issues, relying on electric blankets and portable heaters to stay warm.
• 🌡️ The building's boiler has repeatedly shut off, with a missing part on order, leading to units falling below the legal minimum of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• ⚖️ The landlord has been fined over $16,000 for the ongoing heating problems, and a full assessment of all units is planned to ensure habitability.