Temperatures Plummet Across Tri-State
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – New Yorkers woke up to fairly warm temperatures but felt a bitter blast by midday Tuesday.
Temperatures plummeted into the 20s while a wintry mix of rain and some light snow passed through.
"It will not feel like we are having winter weather. When you wake up, you will think you just need a light jacket," Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia warned Monday.
The commissioner urged people who don't have to drive to avoid the roads.
"It can and may get icy out there, though we are anticipating that all of the rain will completely dissipate before we get into very low freezing temps," she said. "We can't brine the streets unless they're dry. Otherwise, it's just going to dilute. So we will likely salt ahead of the first flake, because that will actually - in and of itself - almost create its own brine."
The city had 318,000 tons of salt, 725 pieces of equipment and thousands of employees on standby.
WEB EXTRA: NYC Sanitation Department Talks Snow Preps
Residents were ready, as well.
"I got long underwear in my pocket," one man told CBS2.
"I got on my scarf, my long johns, a goose coat and a hat," said Christine Harvey, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn. "It was crazy last night, it was very warm, everybody was outside with no jackets on. And this is the type of weather that makes you sick. So you've got to stay bundled up."
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Kumar Chandra warmed up inside Starbucks in between customers at his fruit stand.
"Nighttime is very good, but now too cold," he said. "Very slow outside, no business."
But as with any weather change, you always have the people who take it in stride.
"It's nice. It's cold. You're not sweaty," one person said.
"It's good. You wrap up, keep moving, you'll keep warm. It's great," tourist Peter Marron said.
MORE: CBS2's WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE
City officials hoped to avoid a repeat of last November's first snowstorm, which wreaked havoc and paralyzed traffic throughout the Tri-State.
"We are taking a very conservative approach to make sure we are at the ready, should this change on us," said Garcia.
There were flight delays at LaGuardia and Newark airports Tuesday evening related to the wind.
