As the remnants of Hurricane Zeta make its way towards the state, Governor Cuomo is urging New Yorkers to use caution when traveling starting Thursday morning.
Hurricane Zeta is threatening to combine cold Canadian air to produce snow showers and mixed precipitation across New York starting Thursday morning, Oct. 29, and lasting through Friday, Oct. 30. New York City and Long Island could see up to two inches of rain and 40 miles per hour wind gusts as a result.
Northern parts of New York may get several inches of snow while southern areas could see an inch or more of rain and mixed precipitation. New Yorkers are urged to exercise caution as precipitation combined with cold temperatures may cause hazardous travel including slippery surfaces.
“New Yorkers are well accustomed to intense October storms and this one has the potential to deliver a mixed medley of cold rain, wind and snow across much of the state,” Governor Cuomo said. “Our state emergency response assets are prepared to assist our local partners if needed. I am asking all travelers to review seasonal safety tips and slow down on our roadways during this storm.”
On Thursday night, temperatures will range from the low-20s to the low-40s with winds out of the north at 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 miles per hour in New York City and Long Island regions. Rainfall could reach amounts of a half to three quarters of an inch throughout the state.
On Friday, temperatures will range in the mid-30s to the low-50s, and winds will generally be out of the north at 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph in New York City and Long Island. At this time, there are no current watches or warnings in regard to the storm, though that may change overnight as the system draws near.
To view the complete listing of weather alerts issued by the National Weather Services in New York State, click here.
In an effort to prepare for the storm, the state Department of Transportation is preparing 1,529 dump trucks, 182 plows, 77 excavators, 49 loaders with grapples, 58 tractor-trailers, 15 tree crew buckets, 34 signal trucks, 6 water pumps, 17 vac trucks and 77 chippers for storm response. The Thruway Authority also has 644 operators and supervisors ready to deploy 239 large plow trucks, 11 tow plows, and 60 loaders across the state with more than 90 percent salt capacity on hand at 42 salt sheds on the Thruway system. n addition, Thruway crews are ready to respond to any flood-related issues with small to medium-sized excavators, plow/dump trucks, large loaders, portable VMS boards, portable light towers, vac trucks and smaller pumps, as well as signage and other traffic control devices available for any detours or closures.
State police are prepared to deploy additional troopers if needed and all of their specialized vehicles are ready for response. The Department of Environmental Conservation and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will monitor the storm and respond as needed, and the Department of Public Service has 5,500 workers available to engage in damage assessment, response and restoration efforts across New York State. The MTA is taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that their agencies — NYC Transit, Metro-North Railroad, Long Island Rail Road, Bridges & Tunnels and Construction & Development — run safely while monitoring weather conditions.
New Yorkers are urged to not avoid driving if possible, however if you do drive make sure your vehicle is clear of ice and snow, and keep more distance between other cars. Drivers should be mindful that snowplows travel at speeds of 35 miles per hour and have limited lines of sight. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted.
For more safety tips, visit the Governor’s website.
