Mayor Mamdani, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Urge New Yorkersto Apply for 3-K & Pre-K 

Application deadline is Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

NEW YORK, NY —  Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez encouraged families with children turning three or four this year to sign up for 3-K or Pre-K by Feb. 27, 2026, in a jointly released video in Spanish.   

Applications are open to all eligible families, regardless of the language they speak or immigration status. Programs are free.

“Child care remains one of the largest financial burdens facing New York families. Programs like 3-K and Pre-K are free, open to any child turning three or four this year and can put an average $26,000 back in the pockets of working people,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “If you haven’t signed up yet – now is the time. No matter the language you speak, your immigration status or zip code, there is a seat waiting for your child.”  

Application support is available by phone or at one of the City’s 10 Family Welcome Centers across the five boroughs. Interpretation services are available in more than 200 languages. Online applications are available in 13 languages:    

• English  

• Albanian  

• Arabic  

• Bengali/Bangla  

• Chinese  

• Haitian Creole  

• French  

• Korean  

• Russian  

• Spanish  

• Ukrainian  

• Urdu  

• Uzbek  

As part of the City’s whole-of-government effort to boost enrollment, the administration has:  

• Launched LinkNYC kiosk and NYC Ferry advertisements in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Russian, including targeted outreach in ZIP codes with large populations of non-English speakers.  

• Partnered with 19 trusted community organizations to host application workshops and conduct direct outreach, particularly to families hesitant to engage with government.  

• Worked with faith leaders, elected officials and community-based organizations to reach families in School Districts 4, 9, 14 and 17.  

• Hosted a multi-lingual and community media roundtable on Pre-K and 3-K.  

• Conducted outbound calls and texts to eligible families who have not started an application, focusing on districts with lower engagement rates than last year.   

• Coordinated with shelter-based staff to conduct on-the-ground outreach, including door-knocking and application events for families in shelters.   

• Announced the opening of a new Pre-K and 3-K center opening this fall on the Upper East Side as part of the administration’s effort to fix the broken 3-K system.  

• Highlighted the role of home-based providers in delivering universal 3-K through a mayoral visit.  

As applications are reviewed, the city will activate additional resources to ensure every child receives a placement and every family is able to accept that placement.   

This work aligns with the City’s bold commitment to fix the 3-K system and deliver universal access across all five boroughs, supported by funding from Governor Kathy Hochul.   

This fall, the City will also take its first steps toward 2-K, launching 2,000 free child care seats as part of its commitment to universal 2-K by the end of 2029.

Good afternoon, New York City.   

Yesterday, the snowstorm of the decade arrived, with winds of up to 60 miles per hour, and more than two feet of snow falling across parts of our city.   

In some parts of Staten Island and the Bronx, this storm set new 24-hour records for recorded snowfall.   

The forecast for today is dry, with some wind. There is a chance of some additional light snow tomorrow morning—with a maximum of two inches—as a fast-traveling system moves over our city.   

Today, New York is back up and running thanks to the city workers who worked long shifts to clear our streets, keep our public transit running and respond to emergencies—as well as the everyday New Yorkers who did their parts to shovel sidewalks, clear a neighbor’s stoop and stayed off the roads when conditions were hazardous.    

This was a whole of government response to a historic snowstorm.   

2,600 sanitation workers, working in successive 12-hour shifts, utilized over 3,000 pieces of equipment to distribute over 143 million pounds of salt, and to plow every single street across all five boroughs at least once.    

Alongside 1,214 Emergency Shovelers, they cleared 7,398 crosswalks, 1,777 fire hydrants, and 3,366 bus stops—although due to blowing snow after the storm, many will need to be readdressed. That work continues today.   

If you want to support these efforts, it’s not too late to become an Emergency Snow Shoveler. You can still sign up by walking into any DSNY garage until 8PM tonight. All you need is two forms of identification and you’ll be paid $30 an hour.   

Thanks to these teams’ hard work, school is back in session today.   

I know that there are some who were concerned by the decision to return to in-person learning. I want to explain the reasoning behind it.   

First, New York’s public schools were not in a position to facilitate remote instruction.    

With students coming back from midwinter break, it was not possible to ensure every student had the devices they needed to effectively participate in remote learning.   

Second, our public schools hold a purpose beyond providing a designated place for kids to learn. 

They are critical to the health and wellness of nearly 900,000 children across our city.   

Whether it’s a warm meal, essential mental health support, or a source of child care for working parents—in-person schooling is a resource that our city’s children and families depend upon.   

When conditions are safe, our goal will always be to open our schools—and I want to commend the work of 8,000 DOE staff who worked throughout the weekend clearing entrances and keeping buildings warm to make sure our schools would be accessible and safe when students returned.   

Though the storm may be over, that does not mean the danger to vulnerable New Yorkers has passed. Please continue to keep an eye out for anyone at risk.   

An Enhanced Code Blue remains in effect through Wednesday morning.    

Shelters will continue to operate with an open-door policy—no one will be turned away.   

Outreach workers will continue canvassing all five boroughs to bring homeless New Yorkers inside.   

Since Saturday, they’ve made 250 placements in shelters and other settings.   

If you see someone in need of warmth or shelter, please call 311 immediately so outreach workers can assist.   

In a Code Blue, these 311 calls are rerouted to 911.   

You can also call 311 directly from our LinkNYC kiosks or use them to find the locations of warming centers across the city.   

I also want to express my gratitude to the leaders standing alongside me today, the dedicated professionals manning our Emergency Operation Centers, and every agency staffer that has worked across government to serve New Yorkers.   

That includes our NYPD Tow Truck Task Force, who worked to free stuck vehicles and ensured that emergency vehicles could get to New Yorkers in need.    

In total, they towed 37 vehicles to safety during the storm, including 7 MTA Buses and 21 ambulances.   

We have received over 1,800 reports of fallen trees, limbs down and hanging limbs citywide. The interagency Downed Trees Task Force—coordinated by the Parks Department—has been hard at work responding to these reports.   

As we continue to respond to this blizzard, we are aware that narrow, hilly streets and tight corners on Staten Island were some of the areas hardest hit by the storm.   

Some parts of Staten Island saw nearly 28 inches of snowfall—the largest amount recorded anywhere in the city. That, combined with high winds, have created large snow drifts across the Island.   

DSNY has upped their Staten Island snow removal force to 500 personnel—a 210 person-increase—added even more pieces of hired equipment, and will be working throughout the day and the evening to clear snow and make roads passable.   

Thanks to these efforts, 99.2% of roadways on Staten Island have received at least one pass from snow clearing equipment.    

While New York City is steadily coming back online, there remain some interruptions to service. There will be no collection of trash today.   

Collection will resume Wednesday evening on the 6PM shift.   

We will be prioritizing trash and compost collection this week.   

I ask New Yorkers to be patient throughout this process. Collection trucks are the same size that they’ve always been—but in many areas, twice the amount of material will be out, so delays are possible.

We expect collection will return to normal by Monday.   

We expect recycling collection to resume next Monday.   

Alternate Side Parking will be suspended through the end of the week. Now is the perfect time to dig your cars out, before the snow hardens into ice.   

All library branches across the city are open.   

City buildings are open to the public for in-person city services.   

For New Yorkers relying on public transit, I recommend budgeting some extra time into your commute.   

All local, limited and express buses are running with delays. There is reduced service in Staten Island, resulting in significant delays.   

A number of express trains are running locally.   

NYC Ferries are running on a modified weekday schedule today. Regular service will be restored tomorrow morning.   

As of 5 a.m. this morning however, the Staten Island Ferry has returned to a regular weekday schedule.   

As temperatures rise later this week, we will see snow and ice falling from buildings.   

This can be extremely dangerous. I encourage all New Yorkers to stay alert while walking outside.   

Property owners: please take steps to clear your roofs, and while doing so, make sure you are implementing proper safeguards like putting out signage or temporarily closing off the sidewalk. 

I want to continue to urge New Yorkers to look after yourselves as you shovel snow. Take regular breaks, protect your back and your heart by digging slowly and, take it from me—lift from your knees.   

Finally, I want to thank all the New Yorkers who exercised caution, stayed inside, and contributed to the citywide effort of keeping one another safe.   

Thank you—and as always, New York, stay warm and stay safe.  

MAYOR MAMDANI DECLARES LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY, SNOW DAY FOR NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE  

All Non-Essential Vehicles  Must Be Off New York City Streets from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday  

Emergency Declaration Takes Additional Steps to Protect New Yorkers During Major Snowstorm  

All Public School Buildings, Except Those Operating As Warming Centers, Will Be Closed on Monday in a Traditional ‘Snow Day’

NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today declared a local state of emergency ahead of a severe snowstorm expected to impact New York City. To ensure emergency responders and essential workers can move safely and quickly, city streets will be closed to non-essential vehicular traffic from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday.  

Limited exceptions apply to vehicles providing emergency services, public transportation, medical supplies, food, fuel, utility repairs and other critical services.  

Mayor Mamdani also announced that all New York City Public School buildings, except those operating as warming centers, will be closed on Monday, Feb. 23. There will be a traditional ‘snow day.’ No remote instruction will take place, and all after-school activities are cancelled.   

In coordination with the New York State Education Department, New York City has received a waiver from the 180-day instructional requirement to prioritize the safety of students, staff and families.   

The Emergency Weather Declaration also:  

• Suspends Alternate Side Parking for Monday, Feb. 23.   

• Directs the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to monitor and enforce against price gouging.  

• Instructs New York City Emergency Management, the City of New York Fire Department, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and the New York City Department of Transportation to take all necessary steps to protect public safety.   

The order takes effect immediately and remains in effect for five days, except where otherwise limited, and unless extended or revoked.   

City government has mobilized a coordinated, multi-agency response to clear roads, protect vulnerable New Yorkers, and maintain essential services.   

“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority. As this blizzard moves in, our administration is mobilizing every tool at our disposal, around the clock, to keep our neighbors safe. This emergency declaration allows us to cut through red tape so emergency vehicles, sanitation crews, and essential workers can move quickly and do their jobs without delay,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Out of an abundance of caution, schools will be closed tomorrow. We’ve also opened warming centers in all five boroughs to make sure no one is left out in the cold. I’m urging every New Yorker to please stay home. Check in on your neighbors, especially seniors and those who may need extra support. This declaration strengthens our ability to back up our first responders as they put themselves on the line, and it protects working families from price gouging during this storm. In moments like this, we show who we are as a city — we take care of each other.”  

About the Local State of Emergency:  

The declaration establishes a temporary citywide travel restriction by closing NYC streets, highways, bridges and tunnels to vehicular traffic from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday. Most vehicle traffic – including but not limited to commercial trucks, electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds – is prohibited during that period, except for authorized categories.   

Exempt vehicles include:  

• Government and emergency response vehicles  

• Public transit, including MTA buses and Access-A-Ride  

• Vehicles delivering food, fuel and medical supplies  

• Utility vehicles performing emergency repairs  

• Transportation for essential workers traveling to workplaces, including health care facilities, pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations, media outlets, hotels and laundromats  

• Transportation to hospitals and court facilities  

• Nonprofit and private organizations providing emergency relief   

City offices will be closed for in-person services on Monday. Essential employees must report to work; nonessential employees may telework. Violations of travel restrictions are punishable as a Class B misdemeanor.   

Warming Centers and Shelter Access  

The New York City Department of Social Services will deploy 22 warming busses citywide. Additional warming spaces are available at 11 NYC Health + Hospital facilities and 13 school locations. New Yorkers should contact 311 or visit a LinkNYC kiosk for the nearest site.  

Department of Homeless Services (DHS) continues to operate under enhanced Code Blue protocols. During Code Blue, shelters operate under an open-door policy. Outreach teams are connecting unsheltered New Yorkers to safe, warm space. During a Code Blue, 311 is routed to 911 so first responders can mobilize quickly to reach the person in need. New Yorkers should call 311 if they see anyone in need of assistance.  

New York City Health + Hospitals (H+H):  

• NYC Health + Hospitals will also deploy WARM (Winter Access, Relief and Medical) ambulettes and mobile units starting today. The mobile warming outreach initiative will provide clinical consultations, as well as distribute essential supplies including blankets, warm clothing, socks, warm meals, and water. The units will also drive unsheltered New Yorkers to a warm place of their choosing (shelter, warming center, etc).  

• NYC Health + Hospitals will be in constant communication to ensure adequate staffing and that patients know their options for care. For patient safety, the health care system has converted most in-person Monday clinic appointments to telehealth visits, as clinically appropriate.  It will also quickly reschedule any missed appointment.  

• The City is directing all hospitals to exercise heightened caution when discharging patients, particularly vulnerable patients, during the cold weather. The City has also directed shelters and safe havens to monitor the areas around their buildings for any New Yorkers in need.  

Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH):  

• The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is informing New Yorkers about how they can stay safe and warm, including by sharing recommendations on preparing for the winter storm, and what to do if you lose heat or hot water in your home.

• All New Yorkers should take caution when using drugs or alcohol outside, as cold exposure increases risk. To best protect New Yorkers, the NYC Health Department is providing support to OnPoint so their Wellness Hubs remain open 24/7 through the blizzard to help community members seeking warmth and services.   

• Older New Yorkers should stay indoors, avoid shoveling, and take steps to prevent slips and falls. Older adult centers will be closed on Monday.  

• Infants, seniors, and people with paralysis or neuropathy are at increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite. Check on friends, relatives, and neighbors who may need assistance to ensure they are adequately protected from the cold. Recognize the signs and symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia:  

• Hypothermia: symptoms include slurred speech, sluggishness, confusion, dizziness, shallow breathing, unusual behavior, and slow, irregular heartbeat.  

• Frostbite: symptoms include gray, white or yellow discoloration, numbness, and waxy feeling skin.  

• The City is also mandating that a path of at least 4 feet must be cleared across all sidewalks to accommodate wheelchairs.  

New York City Fire Department (FDNY):  

• Starting Sunday at 6 p.m., there will be five firefighters on all Engine Companies, with additional staffing citywide.   

• Four high-axle vehicles will be deployed, 1 in Staten Island, 1 in Queens, 1 in Brooklyn, and 1 in the Bronx.  

• FDNY will deploy ten Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) for Cold Calls, 2 per borough. Each RRV will be staffed with 1 officer and 2 Firefighters.   

• Thawing apparatus deployed to all fires.   

• All ambulances will be equipped with chains.   

• Trainings will be canceled and scheduled members will be utilized in the field.   

• Extra staffing will be added for EMS.  

New York City Police Department (NYPD):  

• NYPD Highway Patrol will be escorting DSNY to help salt and plow streets.  

• Tow truck task force is activated and trucks will be pre-staged across the city to assist any motorists who are stuck.  

• Additional high-water rescue teams have been activated since moderate coastal flooding is expected.  

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS):  

• NYCPS facilities teams are working around the clock to shovel and de-ice school buildings, ensure adequate heating and backup power protocols are in place, and confirm emergency supplies are ready.   

• Clear and consistent communication with families remains a priority, with updates being shared in all NYCPS languages through letters, emails, SMS messages, social media, robocalls and website postings.  

Public Transit and Ferries:  

• With the anticipated winter weather conditions, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) advises customers to check MTA.info or the MTA app for subway and bus service updates, and the TrainTime app for commuter rail information before traveling. Most subway lines will still operate local service, and scheduled track work has been suspended. Bus service may be adjusted based on road conditions.  

• Crews across subways, railroads, and buses are working to keep service moving during the storm. Subway and railroad teams are monitoring switches and tracks, while clearing snow from platforms, stairs, and entrances.  

• Longer accordion-style buses have been replaced with 40-foot standard buses equipped with chained wheels.  

• Bus service will be adjusted based on road conditions around the city and service curtailments on a route-by-route basis are possible.  

• From 7 p.m. Sunday to 10 .a.m. Monday, empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks are prohibited on the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Cross-Bay Bridge, Henry Hudson Bridge, Marine Parkway Bridge, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.  

• Staten Island Ferry service will switch to an hourly schedule at midnight. Half hour service will be offered starting at 6 am.   

• Scooter share service stopped this morning at 6 am.   

• CitiBike service will halt at 8 pm.  

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM):  

• NYC Emergency Management activated the City’s Winter Weather Emergency Plan and issued a Hazardous Travel Advisory for Sunday, February 22 and Monday, February 23.  

• NYCEM activated a hybrid Emergency Operations Center with agency partners, convened daily Winter Weather Steering Committee calls, and is staffing Con Edison Distribution Engineering Situation Room calls. NYCEM is issuing Citywide Impact Summaries every two hours to city agencies, while the Tow Truck Task Force operates under open line coordination.   

• NYCEM, DSS, and City Hall are activating Warming Bus Operations, coordinating locations, signage, vendor deployment, and 311 updates. NYCEM is maintaining coordinated outreach with elected officials, private sector, health and medical, COOP partners, and community stakeholders.  

New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY):  

• The Department of Sanitation has been responding to this storm since yesterday, and all collection trucks and salt spreaders are now affixed with plows and chains. The Department has been in full-force operations since 6am this morning, with 2600 Sanitation Workers now deployed on each successive 12-hour shift. 700 Salt Spreaders are loaded and thousands of plows are ready to roll.  

• DSNY has called in hundreds of pieces of hired equipment and thousands of paid Emergency Snow Shovelers, far earlier than in prior snow events. New strategies and data tracking are being deployed to more quickly and efficiently address crosswalks, bus stops, and other pedestrian infrastructure.  

• Property owners are reminded to clear a four-foot path to allow safe passage for wheelchairs and strollers after end of precipitation.  

• The same sanitation workers fighting this storm also pick up your trash, and collection will be delayed following this storm. We are asking residents with Monday recycling to HOLD that material to the following week, as is common after some holidays.  

• Staying off the roads tonight will allow New York’s Strongest to work safer and faster in these extremely challenging conditions.  

Housing Preservation and Development (HPD):  

• HPD has code inspectors and staff from the Emergency Repair Program team working overtime this weekend to respond to 311 complaints, conduct inspections, and coordinate emergency repairs when warranted.   

• If New Yorkers have issues with the heat or hot water in their apartment, they should call their landlord. If they do not quickly respond, tenants should call 311 and a uniformed HPD inspector will come, conduct an inspection, issue violations and if warranted, coordinate emergency repairs.  

Department of Buildings (DOB):  

• DOB issued a weather advisory to builders, contractors, crane operators, and property owners, reminding them of their responsibility to properly secure construction sites, buildings, and equipment ahead of the winter storm.     

• The department will have inspectors out in the field over the weekend responding to weather-related incidents and performing random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the city.   

• If sites are not secured, the department will take immediate enforcement action — issuing violations and Stop Work Orders, where necessary.  

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA):  

• NYCHA has mobilized additional resources this weekend, including extra teams deployed across elevator, heat and other technical teams for any skill trade repairs that may arise.  

• NYCHA also has generators on standby that can be mobilized if needed.  

• NYCHA residents in need of non-emergency assistance should call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or submit work tickets through the MyNYCHA application.   

Libraries:  

• All locations of Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library (which covers the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island), and Queens Public Library will be closed.   

• E-books and other remote resources are available to New Yorkers 24/7 via bklynlibrary.org, nypl.org, and queenslibrary.org
• e-Book users can use the NYPL particpating app Libby to download books to your Kindle or other e-reader device.  

NYC Ferry:  

• NYC Ferry expects possible service impacts due to storm conditions including potential early closure on Sunday and a late start of service on Monday. Specific service impacts will be shared on the NYC Ferry app and ferry.nyc. Riders should check the website or app before traveling.  

• As always, during times of inclement weather, please use extra precaution when traveling to and from landings.  

NYC Department of Correction:  

• DOC activated our Emergency Operation center (EOC) to ensure communication is streamlined and updates are provided in real time to ensure all facilities have resources in advance and during the storm for both persons in our care and staff.  

• The DOC maintenance staff is salting and brining roads and has snowplows on hand to operate as needed. In addition, a team of maintenance staff will be available to address any facility issues that arise on Rikers Island.   

• The department has an ample supply of provisions onsite including nearly 6,000 blankets and over 20,000 thermal tops and bottoms on hand and ready to deploy as requested.  

• Temperatures in housing areas are monitored regularly, and people in our care will have access to the Office of Constituent and Grievance Services to raise any issues.  

• The department will notify people in custody about any services that are affected.  

• Commissioner Richards will be on site on Rikers Island this evening to personally monitor conditions.  

Con Edison: 

• Con Edison has mobilized additional crews, has mutual aid on standby, and will be working 24/7 to respond to any weather-related service issues.   

• Con Edison has crews are also prepared to respond swiftly and safely to any weather-related service issues or outages that can result when road salt mixes with melting snow.   

• Con Edison has deployed additional staffing of crews in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx to maintain service of our underground system.  We have secured Underground mutual aid contractors to assist as well in Brooklyn/Queens.  

• Each operating region will have around the clock ICS coverage beginning Sunday at 6:00 PM through Monday.  

• Con Edison remains in close coordination with New York City Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to support a unified response.   

• Con Edison has opened a Situation Room and is holding twice a day calls to stay coordinated.   

• The company prepares year‑round for extreme conditions through regular training, emergency response drills with local agencies, and continued investments to deliver resilient and reliable energy as extreme weather becomes more frequent.   

• The company urges the public to prioritize safety by staying clear of downed wires, which may be live, and reporting them immediately to Con Edison or by calling 911.  

• Customers can report outages and check restoration updates at conEd.com, through the Con Edison mobile app, or by calling 1‑800‑75‑CONED (1‑800‑752‑6633).  

MAMDANI ADMINISTRATION SHARES CITY’S WEEKEND SNOW RESPONSE PLAN  

City enters Code Blue and 2,600+ sanitation workers will be working each 12-hour shift to keep New Yorkers safe during blizzard  

Over 1,000 emergency snow shovelers to be employed during active snowfall, a far larger and earlier deployment than in prior storms  

While the underground portions of the subway system remain unaffected during snowstorms, there are nearly 220 miles of outdoor track throughout the boroughs. The Rockaway /, Sea Beach , Flushing , Brighton / and Dyre Av  lines are particularly vulnerable to snow and freezing precipitation. NYC Transit’s Department of Subways has a fleet of emergency response equipment including debris trains and de-icer trains ready to deploy and respond to icy conditions.

• Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
• Cross-Bay Bridge
• Henry Hudson Bridge
• Marine Parkway Bridge
• Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
• Throgs Neck Bridge
• Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

REMARKS AS PREPARED: MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI DELIVERS WEATHER UPDATE 

See below for Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani’s prepared remarks on today’s weather update:

Good afternoon, New York.  

Tomorrow, our city will face its second snowstorm in less than a month and our first blizzard since 2016. Right now, forecasts predict light snow will begin to fall tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM.  

Over the course of the day, it will grow heavier, with intense snowfall beginning at 6:00 PM and dangerous winds increasing overnight, conditions that will persist through Monday morning and into the evening.  

We are now expecting between 13 and 17 inches of snow. But there is a slight chance we may see up to 20 inches, or even more. This means we are forecasted to receive up to 6 inches more than fell a few weeks ago.  

New Yorkers can expect that the Monday morning commute will be extremely hazardous, with heavy snowfall and peak winds coinciding to create slippery conditions and greatly reduced visibility.  

Combined with daytime temperatures slipping above freezing, and overnight lows dropping to the low 20s, this snowfall will melt, then refreeze, resulting in dangerously icy sidewalks and streets.   

I am asking all New Yorkers to stay inside and stay off the roads for your safety. These have the potential to be even more hazardous conditions than we faced in the last storm.  

To protect our homeless and most vulnerable New Yorkers, Code Blue operations will take effect once again, starting at 4:00 PM this afternoon. That means our dedicated outreach teams will intensify their operations, traversing all five boroughs 24/7 to bring those most at risk inside.  

Let me be clear: no one will be denied shelter.  

We want every New Yorker who needs help seeking warmth to be able to find it.   

We will have 18 warming buses, 11 Health + Hospitals warming spaces, 13 school warming centers open across the city—and we are redeploying H+H mobile warming units to provide clinical support, socks, gloves and warm food. We are also keeping our on-point overdose prevention centers open overnight through the blizzard.   

You will be able to find the locations of all our warming centers on a LinkNYC kiosk by 6:00 AM tomorrow morning.   

Once again, I am asking that New Yorkers continue looking out for their neighbors. If you see someone in need, please call 311 immediately so our outreach workers and first responders at FDNY and NYPD can provide assistance. For those who may not have easy access to a phone, you can call 311 directly from our LinkNYC kiosks to seek help.  

If you are having issues with the heat and hot water in your apartments, call your landlord first. If you don’t hear back quickly, call 311. We have inspectors and staff working overtime this weekend at HPD.   

NYCHA residents in need of non-emergency assistance should call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or submit work tickets through the MyNYCHA application.  

DSNY has already begun pre-snow operations, preparing equipment, mounting plows and chains on over 2,200 vehicles, and loading up more than 700 salt-spreaders.  

When more than two inches of snow have fallen, plows will be dispatched across our city. New Yorkers will be able to monitor their work in real time via our plow tracker at https://plownyc.cityofnewyork.us/plownyc/.  

Tomorrow morning, this fleet will roll into action with over 2,600 sanitation workers beginning 12-hour shifts, salting as the first snow begins to fall, before commencing plowing operations once snow has reached a plowable depth.  

While DSNY focuses on snow clearing in response to this blizzard, they will be running at least one day behind on garbage and recycling collection.  

DOT crews have already begun pre-treating road surfaces on Sunday and will follow an extended schedule on Monday to ensure our bridges and highways are treated and cleared throughout the storm.   

The Parks Department will also mobilize their own fleet to clear over 2,000 miles of pathways in parks across the city.  

We are currently anticipating some level of flooding in Jamaica Bay, Staten Island and the Battery. If that occurs, the city will deploy field response teams and determine further interagency actions from DEP, DOT and FDNY.  

We are always seeking ways to improve our efforts to support New Yorkers.  

That’s why ahead of this storm our agencies have made several changes to enhance our storm preparedness and service citywide.  

Here’s what we’re doing differently:  

We’ve brought in outside mechanical snow-clearing equipment ahead of the snowfall—an unprecedented early activation of this resource.  

We are expanding geocoded tracking of bus stops, unsheltered stops, crosswalks, and pedestrian ramps to improve the rate at which they’re cleared.  

We are also mandating that a path of at least 4 feet must be cleared across all sidewalks to accommodate wheelchairs.  

All operational agencies will be paying increased attention to clearing fire hydrants, crosswalks, and bus stops around their property as part of our primary snow-clearing operation.  

Lyft has committed to greatly expand the number of CitiBike station snow-clearing crews, expediting their snow removal efforts. DOT will remain in contact with Lyft throughout the storm.  

DSNY will deploy over 1,000 Emergency Snow Shovelers beginning Sunday night—another early activation.  

To aid this effort, we’ve added an additional evening shift with 300 shovelers in advance of the height of the storm, and we’re utilizing 33 DSNY vans and 2 DSNY buses to transport shovelers where they’re needed, faster.  

And for those who want to do more to help your neighbors and earn some extra cash, you too can become an Emergency Snow Shoveler.   

Just show up to your local Sanitation Garage between 8am and 1pm tomorrow with your paperwork—accessible online at NYC-dot-gov-slash-snow—and you can get started right away.  

While we have not yet made a final decision regarding in-person school for Monday, we are monitoring conditions and will communicate a decision to students, teachers and parents by noon tomorrow. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority.  

Alternate side parking will be suspended for Monday.  

I urge all New Yorkers to sign up for NotifyNYC by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 to stay informed on the latest forecast and conditions. You can also visit NYC.gov/BeReady  for more information.  

As always New York—stay warm, stay inside, stay prepared, stay safe.  

Thank you.