New York Weather: NYC Expecting Biggest Snowfall Of The Season, Public Schools Closed Monday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The city is not going to get hit as hard as points north and west, but Sunday night's storm is still expected to be significant.
Salt-spreading trucks were out well before the first precipitation started falling and plows were ready to get to work to make travel easier during Monday's morning commute, CBS2's Reena Roy reported.
City officials assured the public they are on top of this storm, which is expected to eventually drop 3-6 inches on the five boroughs. Crews had been getting ready for its arrival since early Sunday morning and, as CBS2's Roy saw firsthand, there was a massive amount of salt ready to be spread on the streets.
Web Extra: Mayor De Blasio Talks Storm Preps:
The Department of Sanitation said there are nearly 700 salt spreaders at the ready to keep the streets safe, especially when the heaviest of the snow was expected to fall after midnight. There were also 1,600 plows stationed throughout the city that were to be deployed once the snow started to accumulate.
MORE: New York Weather: NYC, Tri-State Area Bracing For Several Inches Of Snow Sunday Night Into Monday
Mayor Bill de Blasio said workers would be cleaning the streets throughout the overnight hours -- many of them likely working overtime -- to help make Monday morning's commute as smooth as possible.
"We expect the biggest snow accumulation we've had all year," de Blasio told reporters during an early evening storm update. "There's a great deal of concern that it's gonna be a very tough commute in the morning, tough for people to get around."
MORE: New York Weather: Westchester Preparing For The Worst Of Sunday/Monday's Fast-Moving Snowstorm
The precipitation that does fall was expected to be a wet and heavy snow, which would make travel difficult. The mayor urged New Yorkers to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
"We want to urge New Yorkers who do not need to use their cars, please do not," the mayor said. "There's going to be slippery conditions, dangerous conditions. We want to keep people off the streets to allow the Department of Sanitation to do the work."
One thing parents won't have to worry about is their children's commute to school on Monday because the mayor announced that all schools will be closed.
"I'm excited to have my kids with me for the day," said Jennifer Caine Leila of Manhattan. "They'll probably do some cleaning and still some homework but we'll go out in the snow a bit."
Others, however, were keeping their fingers crossed that the storm doesn't hit the city too hard.
"My mom and I have been planning a mother-daughter trip for a long time. It's the 100-year anniversary of the Grand Canyon (and) we have an early morning flight out of JFK," Queens resident Elia Ciasulli said. "Hoping for a good, smooth flight tomorrow."
