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City Braces for 18 Inches of Snow, Closes School Buildings and Postpones Vaccination Appointments

Mayor Bill de Blasio announces storm cancellations Photo: @nycmayor

Jan. 31, 2021 By Christina Santucci

New York City school buildings will be closed Monday and coronavirus vaccine appointments are being postponed–as the city braces for a winter storm that could dump more than a foot of snow, the mayor announced Sunday morning.

In addition, outdoor dining has been cancelled for Monday, and alternate side parking in the city is suspended for Monday and Tuesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from 7 p.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Tuesday for the city and surrounding areas, projecting heavy snow and accumulations of 14 to 18 inches and wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour.

Learning will switch to remote classes at city schools Monday, the mayor said. There has been no announcement made about classes on Tuesday yet, but de Blasio said he expected to make a decision soon.

The vaccine sites will be closed Monday and appointments will be will be rescheduled, the mayor said.

“Travel conditions are going to be extremely dangerous if not impossible,” NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell said.

NYC Department of Sanitation Chief Edward Grayson said New Yorkers should be prepared to not see the blacktop right away, but his department will be working hard to remove the snow.

“We will be poised and ready to move at the first flake,” Grayson said. Plows can be tracked online through the city’s PlowTracker site.