An ice and snow storm hit the tristate region early Wednesday. Streets and sidewalks were slick and looked like a sheet of ice covering the area below.
The storm is creating hazardous travel conditions.
Schools across the region were closed Wednesday, but New York City public schools remained open.
Another, bigger storm could hit over the weekend, but it is too early to be sure of that storm’s track and impact.
A Winter Storm Warning was issued for a large portion of the region from 11 p.m. Tuesday until 9 a.m. Wednesday. Coastal areas in New Jersey and Long Island were under a Winter Weather Advisory where more ice than snow is expected to fall.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm. States offices will be closed for nonessential employees.
“I’ve authorized state officials to continue all necessary actions to assist, and my Administration will continue monitoring conditions throughout the remainder of the storm,” Christie said in a statement. “I encourage all New Jerseyans to drive carefully and remain off the roads if possible so that our first responders and public safety officials can safely respond to any emergency situations.”
New Jersey Transit rail service ran on a modified weekend schedule for Wednesday on all lines except the Atlantic City Line.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that Interstate 84 will be closed to tandem trailers trucks beginning at midnight.
“We are taking every precaution needed to keep New Yorkers safe and ensure the State is in a position to respond as quickly and effectively to the snow and any emergency situations,” Cuomo said in a statement. “I urge New Yorkers to put safety as their first priority, only travel when absolutely necessary, and keep an eye out for their neighbors.”
Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy ordered the delayed opening for state offices on Wednesday. He said that nonessential state employees should report to work at 10 a.m.
Metro-North Railroad ran on a reduced schedule Wednesday.
New York City could get 2 to 4 inches of snow, but surrounding areas could get more. Parts of upstate could see up to 10 inches. The big problem will actually be ice, according to Fox 5’s Nick Gregory.
The New York City Office of Emergency Management has issued a Hazardous Travel Advisory for Feb. 5, 2014. Alternate side of the street parking regulations were suspended in anticipation of the storm to help with snow removal. Parking meter rules remained in effect.
The plow tracker is available on the city’s “severe weather” page at www.nyc.gov/severeweather.
Winter storm warnings:
Bronx County, NY
Dutchess County, NY
Kings County, NY
Nassau County, NY
New York County, NY
Orange County, NY
Putnam County, NY
Queens County, NY
Richmond County, NY
Rockland County, NY
Suffolk County, NY
Sullivan County, NY
Ulster County, NY
Westchester County, NY
Bergen County, NJ
Essex County, NJ
Hudson County, NJ
Hunterdon County, NJ
Middlesex County, NJ
Morris County, NJ
Passaic County, NJ
Somerset County, NJ
Sussex County, NJ
Union County, NJ
Warren County, NJ
Fairfield County, CT
Pike County, PA
we had trees coated in an inch thick of ice. in the day time wen sun shown the city looked like a crystal chandelier!!!!! there are still trees on the ground… but hey it was a gr8 adventure! ppl without electricity for 10 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July in Chicago
you are for sure a student in School. It wasn;t such a bad storm, why shouldn’t there have school??
in toronto we only missed school cuz there was a blackout!! and it was thousands times worse. there are still trees littering streets- they fell from weight of ice. but i guess for new york an inch of snow is a lot…..
yet..we still had skewl!
Toronto had a worse ice storm
Any bystander can clean the window of the ambulance, why wait til an emergency.
When I have been there and there was snow I cleaned it off