OEM ISSUES HAZARDOUS TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR TODAY AND WEDNESDAY
Tuesday PM and Wednesday AM Rushes Most Impacted
Dangerously cold temperatures expected tonight through Friday
January 21, 2014 — The New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) today issued a Hazardous Travel Advisory for today and Wednesday. The National Weather Service has forecasted 8 to 12 inches of snow accumulation through Wednesday. Light snow will develop this morning with the heaviest snow between 4 PM today and 10 PM tonight. Blizzard-like conditions could occur during the heaviest periods of snow. Snow will begin to taper off by late this evening and end tomorrow morning. Temperatures are not expected to break the freezing mark through Friday. Overnight lows tonight are expected to be in the single digits with wind chills of -5 degrees. On Wednesday, temperatures will be near 20 degrees with wind chills in the single digits. The Department of Sanitation has issued a Snow Alert for today. The plow tracker is available at NYC.gov/severeweather. OEM encourages New Yorkers to take the following precautions:
For Motorists
- If you must drive a vehicle, monitor weather and traffic reports for the latest road conditions. Use mass transportation whenever possible.
- Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible as these roadways will be cleared first.
- Drive slowly. Vehicles, including those with 4-wheel drive, take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement.
- Keep the name and phone number of at least one local towing service in your car in case you break down or become stuck in the snow.
- If you get stuck on the road stay with your car and contact a towing company.
For Pedestrians
- Exercise caution and avoid slippery surfaces; some ice may not be visible.
- Wear layers including a hat, gloves and scarf to stay protected from the cold. And, keep clothes and shoes dry.
- Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside.
- Have heightened awareness of cars, particularly when approaching or crossing intersections.
Tips for Staying Warm
Exposure to cold can cause life-threatening health conditions. Avoid serious conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia, by keeping warm.
- Wear a hat, hood, or scarf.
- Wear layers, as they provide better insulation and warmth.
- Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside.
- Keep clothing dry; if a layer becomes wet, remove it.
Check on Neighbors, Friends, Relatives and Clients
- Home visiting and social service agencies should activate their cold emergency plans, and reach out in advance to their clients to make sure they’re aware of the cold and snow.
- If you are concerned about someone on the street who may be homeless and in need of assistance call 311 and ask for the Mobile Outreach Response Team. The Department of Homeless Services will send an outreach team to the location to assess the individual’s condition and take appropriate action.
- If your building is cold, check on your neighbors. If you know someone who is vulnerable and lacking heat, help them get to warm places and notify the builing manager and/or call 311 to get heat restored. If you see someone with signs of hypothermia such as confusion, shivering, slurred speech, drowsiness call 911 for help and help the person get warm while waiting for help.
- Landlords and building managers should check their building systems to ensure heat, and check on vulnerable people.
