Plunging Temperatures, Dangerous Winds Blow Into Tri-State Area
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Winds were expected to gust up to 50 mph early Wednesday morning, and plunging temperatures were set to make for brutal conditions – as well as a threat of black ice on the roads.
A wind advisory went into effect at 8 p.m. Tuesday, and will continue through 1 p.m. Wednesday, for the five boroughs of New York City, eastern New Jersey, the northern suburbs and several upstate counties, and the entire state of Connecticut.
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Meanwhile, temperatures were already dropping to frigid lows late Tuesday night, and the winds will bring on wind chill factors that will make conditions seem far more severe, CBS2's Lonnie Quinn reported.
Early Wednesday, wind chills from the bitter northwest winds will likely make it feel like 10 to 15 degrees for the immediate metro area and points south and east, and 0 to 10 degrees for points north and west.
Later in the day, conditions will be almost as frigid. Wind chills will stand at 15 to 20 degrees for the city and areas south and east, and 5 to 15 degrees to the north and west.
The forecast high for the day on Wednesday was a mere 29 degrees.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, the cold conditions and wet roads were drawing concern about black ice for the Wednesday morning commute. In Yonkers, city officials said they had eight trucks ready to go, and 16 drivers on standby should things start to get icy.
The salt barn in Yonkers currently has about 8,000 tons of salt just waiting to be used. City officials said they are not expecting any major problems on Wednesday, but they are ready for possibilities such as black ice.
"I'm looking at the weather report like everybody else," said Yonkers Public Works Commissioner Thomas Meier. "Look, if the road looks shiny, we caution everyone to slow down and be careful. Call it in if you do find any ice, and our salt crews will go right out and salt it."
Meanwhile, the New York City Department of Buildings reminded all builders, contractors and property owners to secure their construction sites and buildings – and the request is not optional. The department will perform random spot-check inspections of construction sites, and those not safely secured will be subjected to tickets or stop work orders.
Construction site operators are advised to tie down and secure material and loose items at construction sites; cover electrical equipment; put away loose tools, oil cans and fuses; secure netting, scaffolding and sidewalk sheds; suspend crane operations in winds greater than 30 mph, secure hoist operations when winds reach 35 mph or more; and brace and secure construction fences.
Property owners are advised to bring inside loose, lightweight objects such as lawn furniture, potted plants, garbage cans, garden tools and toys. Gas grills, propane tanks and other objects that would be unsafe outside should be secured, patio umbrellas should be closed, retractable awnings should be pulled up, and aerial antennas and satellite dishes should be taken down.
Snow was also blowing through the area earlier Tuesday, though not for everyone. For the city, Long Island, and most of New Jersey, totals will amount to a few flakes to half an inch, but for areas to the north and west, 0.5 to 1 inch is expected.
