Winter Warning: Everything you need to know about NYC’s snow storm

Snow blanketed New York City Tuesday morning, shuttering in-person schooling and coating the city’s sidewalks and roads.

The NYC Office of Emergency Management rescinded its winter storm warning for Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island by Tuesday afternoon, though the city remained under a travel advisory as roads turned slick during the storm.

NYC students stayed indoors on Tuesday, but they didn’t get to cut class. The city’s public schools attempted to hold classes remotely in lieu of shutting down, with mixed results. Some students found themselves unable to log on to their remote learning platform on Tuesday due to problems with the IBM-run authentication platform, HellGate reported. 

Still, snow day-less students still had a shot at some winter activities. NYC could see six inches of snow, making the storm the city’s largest since 2022, NBC News reported. 

If it’s been so long since the last snowfall that you’ve forgotten how to cope, read on for three things to keep in mind during the colder weather.

Clean off your sidewalk, safely

If you’re a residential owner, you need to clean off your sidewalk for pedestrians, or risk facing fines.

Remember, if the snow stops falling between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., you must clear the sidewalk within four hours. You can check out everything you need to know about the city’s snow removal rules here.

When you do start shoveling, make sure to do so safely. Clearing the sidewalks is hard work, and the National Weather Service recommends that residents dress warmly, stay hydrated, and move small amounts of snow at a time. And don’t forget to take breaks if you get exhausted.

Keep warm indoors

Your landlord must keep your apartment at 68 degrees or higher when outdoor temperatures drop below 55 degrees during the day in the winter months. At night, your apartment must be warmer than 62 degrees, regardless of how cold it is outside. 

If your apartment doesn’t have heat, contact your building manager, super, or owner to get it fixed right away. You can also call 311 if your landlord doesn’t respond to your request, or you can submit a complaint online or through the 311Mobile app.

If 311 is slow to respond, try filing multiple complaints or contacting the Housing Preservation & Development Department directly through your borough’s service center.

Stay alert

You can keep tabs on the winter storm by downloading the Notify NYC app, the city’s emergency alert system. Notify NYC’s website also posts recent information about city alerts, including flash-flood warnings, transit disruptions, and parking suspensions. 

New Yorkers can also text NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 to get text alerts about the five boroughs, or follow the Office of Emergency Management through the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.