NYC Winter Storm: Outdoor Subway Service Suspended; Schools All-Remote Again Tuesday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Outdoor subway service in New York City was suspended starting at 2 p.m. Monday, and schools will remain all-remote Tuesday, officials said.
A powerful winter storm continued to pummel the Tri-State Area and is expected dump more than a foot of snow in the city.
"Conditions continue to deteriorate. So therefore, we will suspend outdoor subway service starting at 2 p.m. But to be clear, people should start planning that now," New York City Transit Authority Interim President Sarah Feinberg said. "So if you are not home and you need to get home, you need to start making your way there now."
Transit officials said commuters should expect more suspensions in the coming hours. For now, underground subway stations are still open, CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported Monday.
LINK: Check The Latest Forecast
"Underground service will continue to operate. If we have to, obviously we can stop that as well, and we have every contingency plan in place, but right now we're not planning for that," Feinberg continued.
Buses are also still operating, but some service may be suspended depending on the weather conditions in the coming hours.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned non-essential workers to stay off the roads and to be ready for an extended snowstorm.
WATCH: Gov. Andrew Cuomo Gives Update On Evening Commute
"This is not a band that's going to last a few hours. This is a band that could last through tomorrow night," Cuomo said.
Outside a Trader Joe's in Brooklyn Heights, several people stocked up on groceries for the next few days.
"We probably should've done this shopping yesterday, but figured better late than never," said Michael McGrath, a Cobble Hill resident.
"A lot of frozen food, some produce, too. Just things that are going to last so we don't need to leave our house over the next like two to three days," McGrath added.
LINK: Winter Storm Survival Guide
Snow plow drivers and those shoveling have their work cut out for them. The storm is a lot to keep up with, from roads to sidewalks.
"Oh, it's constant. I mean, even today, I think we're just going to come out every few hours just to make sure whoever's walking is safe," said Maria Martinez, who works at Dellapietra's in Brooklyn Heights.
The gourmet meat market was open for at least part of the day. The owner said they wanted to take care of loyal customers.
"The Brooklyn Heights people have been with us through COVID, they made sure that we stayed in business, so had to make sure they had what they needed for a day like today," said Robert Dellapietra.
WATCH: Mayor De Blasio's Storm Briefing In New York City
Earlier, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced New York City public schools will be all-remote again Tuesday.
"There will not be in-person schools tomorrow. Remote education, of course, will go on for all kids tomorrow -- Tuesday," he said. "But Wednesday, we'll be back strong."
Catholic Elementary Schools will also remain closed Tuesday.
De Blasio said coronavirus vaccinations will also be delayed another day.
"We need to keep people safe. We don't want folks, especially seniors, going out in unsafe conditions to get vaccinated," he said. "We know we can rescheduled appointments very quickly."
Outdoor dining remains closed Monday night, and alternate side parking is suspended through Saturday.
Watch John Dias's report:
"We'll see about [outdoor dining] tomorrow night. There's a chance we might be able to get it back for tomorrow night, depending how the plowing operations go and how the weather goes," the mayor added.
De Blasio declared a state of emergency and restricted non-essential travel between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Hospital workers, like Bobby Cater, still had to get to work.
"Man, it's crazy out here," he told CBS2's John Dias. "Everyone can't stay home. I wish I could stay home today."
TIMELINE: 12-18 Inches Possible In New York City, Up To 2 Feet In Northern Suburbs
More than 700 salt spreaders and 2,000 sanitation workers were out on the roads.
"We fought about a 6-inch snowstorm before daybreak," Department of Sanitation Commissioner Edward Grayson said. "It will take multiple passes during this prolonged period of active snowfall."
"An extremely dangerous and treacherous storm," said Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell.
PHOTOS: Winter Storm Socks Tri-State Area
It was a treacherous ride up the West Side Highway, with whipping winds causing blinding conditions. Traffic was almost nonexistent, but those who did brave the slush-covered icy roads were taking it very slow, CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported.
In Harlem, Herbie Torres was taking on the not-so-pretty part of the storm, clearing a way for his car to get out of the snow.
"It's light right now, but when they push it towards, sanitation, it get heavier. So that's why I'm digging it out, so it won't give me trouble later," Torres said.
Watch Hazel Sanchez's report:
Heavy snowfall was the featured performance outside the Apollo Theater. Teams of shovelers and snowblowers had seemingly no competition.
As he capitalized on the cleanup, Delroy Flowers said bring it on.
"I gotta make that money. This is New York. It takes thick skin," Flowers said. "You know, jobs are scarce. You gotta hustle! Good hustle, not bad hustle, though."
City plows were busy in the Bronx as well, as cars were buried.
While it was cold and sloppy, many people still wanted to venture outside.
"For the snow? Oh definitely," Morrisania resident Patricia Ford said when asked if she thought the city was overdue for a winter wallop. "They could have kept the COVID, though. That they could have kept. But the snow? Beautiful!"
MORE STORM INFORMATION FROM NYC:
- Severe weather alerts and advice
- Guidance on restaurant preparations
- Department of Sanitation snow operations
- Track NYC snow plows
- Sign up for shoveling jobs
For some New Yorkers, the snow was truly a winter wonderland.
"I love it, because I'm from West Africa, Senegal," one man told Dias.
Others were less optimistic about the winter mess.
"I'm not excited about it. It's a lot," a woman added.
Either way they looked at it, some New Yorkers still had to get through the storm.
Watch Ali Bauman's report from Mobile 2 In Washington Heights --
The whipping winds made it hard for many to cross the street by Columbus Circle. One person even had to grab onto a pillar. Others tried their hardest not to fall.
"It's a little challenging," one man said.
"The gentleman had to hold me, because I was lifting off the ground," a woman added.
Meanwhile, a code blue is also in effect, with city officials checking on the homeless to make sure they have a safe place to stay.
CBS2's Andrea Grymes, Hazel Sanchez and John Dias contributed to this report.
