New York starts off the new year with an official blizzard. The bomb cyclone met the qualifications on Long Island, parts of NYC, the lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut, according to the National Weather Service.
Blizzard conditions include three or more hours of sustained winds/frequent gusts of at least 35 mph, significant snow, and visibility of less than a quarter mile.
NYC was 13 inches under snow in some areas.
Streets of NYC
“The Department of Sanitation warned residents that treated streets in the city may not show blacktop just yet and driving conditions may still be difficult after the storm,” CNBC reported. “Alternate-side parking is suspended in the city through Wednesday, though meter rules remain in effect.”
Come rain, snow, wind chill, or bomb cyclones, the meter rules remain in effect.
Not only is the road dangerous: freezing conditions means drivers must be prepared to spend time outside in case of an accident.
Mayor de Blasio said the city is hiring temporary workers to shovel and is paying $15 an hour. People are welcome to sign up at nyc.gov to help the city out and make some easy money.
Tragedy
“The region is feeling a dangerous, bone-chilling cold. A wind chill advisory s in effect for the entire tri-state until 8 a.m. Sunday. The wind chill is expected to stay below zero all Saturday,” CNBC reported Saturday.
The cold weather will not pass without tragedy.
On Saturday, 911 responded to a call reporting a 51-year-old man on the concrete street corner in the Bronx around 5:30 a.m., according to NY Daily News. Responders took him to Jacobi Hospital where he died.
A second man fell unconscious in his Jeep parked at a McDonald’s in Queens, where the police broke the window to get him out and rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital, but the man was already dead after sitting in the vehicle for several days in critically cold temperatures without heat.
There are services and steps people can take to be safe. Proaction is the avoidance of preventable risk. Practice it by dressing warmly, and don’t wait for something to happen before preparing.
Retail
The region may be dealing with bitterly cold conditions, but don’t expect retailers to meet the demand for coats at this time.
After the holiday season, retailers are focusing on a staggering amount of returns and inventories are low.
It’s a difficult situation, but CNBC reports that they’re focusing on improving supply chains to meet demand in the future. However, the fact remains that winter storms during the first few weeks of January leave retailers struggling to meet demand.
Unfortunately, relief from the cold likely won’t come until Monday when temperatures will rise above freezing for the first time in over twelve days.
Affected services
CNBC reported that the blizzard affected several airports, including JFK, LaGuardia and Long Island MacArthur.
A Norwegian Cruise Line transporting 400 passengers from the Bahamas to New York encountered 30-foot ocean swells when they met the storm at sea
“I’m completely traumatized,” passenger Emma Franzese told CBS New York after the experience.
Not to worry anyone, but this #bombcyclone ain't no joke for those of us out on the open water. #norwegianbreakaway
— Kevin Gilligan (@Gilligan_McJew) January 4, 2018
“There were people crying, everyone was throwing up. It was a nightmare,” Olivia Ross told CBS. “It was so tilted I was shaking.”
Norwegian apologized and said that the situation involved “stronger than forecasted weather conditions.”
Regardless, the passengers are now home and dealing with the freezing weather with everyone else.
