Govt. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of New York’s counties on Friday ahead of what forecasters predict will be New York’s highest snowfall since 2022.
A state of emergency has been declared for 36 counties, including all five New York City boroughs, as widespread snowfall is expected to begin Friday night and continue into Saturday morning. The Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island regions are expected to receive the highest totals, with four to eight inches expected and localized amounts up to one foot possible.
Areas across Central New York, the Southern Tier and the Capital Region are expected to receive three to six inches of snow, with local amounts reaching up to eight inches. Maximum snowfall may exceed two inches per hour in some areas.
“With widespread snowfall expected to begin in and around New York tonight, I am declaring a state of emergency to ensure our agencies and local partners have the resources and tools they need to respond to the storm,” Hochul said. “The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority and I continue to urge extreme caution throughout the duration of this storm. Please continue to monitor the local forecast, avoid unnecessary travel, and if you must travel, take all necessary precautions to ensure safe arrival at your destination.”
The heaviest snow is expected between 6:00 PM and midnight Friday. Officials are urging residents who need to travel to arrive at their destination before 6 p.m. and avoid unnecessary travel until late Saturday morning. Snow has already started falling in western parts of the state and the system is expected to move east during the day.
Strong winds are also expected with gusts of 25 to 35 mph possible and local gusts potentially reaching 50 mph. Wind combined with snow, which can be wet and heavy at times, creates the potential for power outages and hazardous driving conditions with reduced visibility.
Ice accumulation is possible in western New York.
The state of emergency affects Albany, Bronx, Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Fulton, Greene, Herkimer, Kings, Madison, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Schlando Queens, Saratoga, Richmond, Rockdy, Schlando Queens, Saratoga, Richtamond Sullivan, Rensselaer, Suffolk, Ulster, Wayne, Westchester and neighboring counties.
Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories have been issued. Residents are encouraged to monitor their local forecasts and updates from the National Weather Service. New Yorkers can sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts by texting their county or borough name to 333-111.
State agencies began preparing for the storm earlier this week.
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