Rain For Many, But Up To 6 Inches Of Snow May Be Coming
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A blast of winter weather was pounding the Tri-State Area this Saturday, dumping several inches of snow in some areas, although some regions saw only rain in the afternoon.
CBS 2 Meteorologist Vanessa Murdock reported as early as 6 a.m., that snow was already falling in areas to the west such as Williamsport, Pa., and the weather system stretched west all the way to Indiana.
By 11:45 a.m., light sleet was falling in Hudson Square, and an hour later, snow had taken over. But by the 2 p.m. hour, it had all turned to rain.
To the north at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the snow was coming down at a steady clip.
Revising earlier forecasts, the National Weather Service said Saturday afternoon that the rain will change to snow Saturday evening, and will continue through midnight.
LINK: Forecast
A winter weather advisory was in effect from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday for much of the Tri-State Area and a wind advisory remains in effect until Sunday. In New York City, you can expect wind gusts up to 30 mph on Saturday, and perhaps up to 40 mph on Sunday.
As the weather system approached, road crews were preparing for the worst for the second time this week.
CBS 2's Amy Dardashtian reported snow plows will be dispatched throughout the area. In New York City, a snow alert was issued beginning at 7 p.m. The city has loaded its 365 salt spreaders and attached plows as needed, prepared tire chains, and notified supplementary personnel.
The Department of Sanitation is coordinating with the Office of Emergency Management and the Department of Transportation in its efforts to keep the roads clear.
"We had all our salt spreaders loaded. Of course, we had 427 of them on standby in the street as we talk, and we have another 1,400 plows ready to go out, should we need them," said Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty.
Crews also picked up garbage and recyclables in advance, Doherty told WCBS 880.
"We also went out with some of our collection trucks and our recycling trucks, to pick up some of the waste and recyclables that's out there, while we're waiting to see if we need to put out plows," he said.
1010 WINS Reporter Gary Baumgarten found some New Yorkers who were enjoying the snow...
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In White Plains, crews were spreading salt being stored in a massive dome.
"We pre-salt the roads several days prior. We had a lot of notice about this, so that was a helpful thing. We use a brine mixture that goes down on the roads, and then the water evaporates, but the salt remains behind, so that in the onset of a snowstorm, it gets a chance to melt and turn into a de-icing mix so you won't have ice binding to the roads," said White Plains Public Works Commissioner Joseph "Bud" Nicoletti.
About 100 workers will be out in White Plains, and about 50 trucks will be out at any given time, Nicoletti said.
People were preparing for the snow Saturday morning – residents and out-of-town visitors alike.
WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported Sheryl and her family are driving from North Carolina to New York, and Sheryl thinks talk of a few inches of snow is too much.
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Still, Sheryl and her family have filled the tank and have presents for their grandchildren, but they say they did not account for snow in the forecast.
"We found out the New Year's is going to be cold, and we came with, like, a little bit of stuff, but not much," she said at the Vince Lombardi rest stop.
With her son swimming in an oversize jacket, Sheryl and her family bought some souvenir hats and sweatshirts to get through their visit to New York City.
In New Jersey, people flocked to stores to pick up last-minute supplies, WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported.
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"I have a new shovel and some ice for the driveway and walkway," said Lourdes Hernandez of Elizabeth.
But she was quick to explain it was not for her.
"My daughter just bought a new house, so I knew she wasn't going to have this, so that where's I'm headed. I have a shovel," she said.
Meanwhile, NJ TRANSIT offered full system wide cross-honoring on Saturday to give customers additional travel options. The agency said it is prepared to handle the approaching winter storm and is well-stocked with 16,000 bags of snow-melting supplies, and hundreds of shovels and snow blowers.
Snow in Northern Bergen County began falling hard around noon and continued throughout the day, and for some residents it was anything but a winter wonderland.
"It's pretty crazy and I am over it," Jessica Grimes of Mahwah, told CBS 2's Drew Levinson.
The snow stuck quickly and public works trucks were out force spreading salt throughout the day.
How are you preparing for the snow? Please leave your comments below...
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