The Northeast is under the grip of frigid temperatures as people try to dig out from the weekend snowstorm.
Around a foot of snow fell across most of eastern New York from Saturday to Sunday, as single-digit temperatures moved into the area. As of Sunday afternoon, New York State Police said troopers responded to more than 600 motor vehicle crashes, with no storm-related fatalities. Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that snowfall totals ranged from 2 inches to 20 inches across the state.
“When you put the road conditions together with the frigid temperatures, it is a bad, bad combination,” Cuomo said. “It is still dangerous out and if you don’t have to be out, don’t be out.”
Numerous communities declared snow emergencies, restricted on-street parking and opened warming centers. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan held a press conference Sunday morning as the city continued to dig out from snow, sleet and freezing rain.
“Our snow emergencies are designed to allow us to go in, get the snow, remove it from the city and take it to a snow dock and dump it. As of 8 p.m. Monday night, all cars need to be parked on the even side of the street and then at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, all cars move over to the odd side of the street. We really have to stress how important it is that you cooperate with that, we don’t like to tow cars because it slows down the removal efforts.”
To the north, the city of Troy did not declare a snow emergency, but Mayor Patrick Madden is urging residents to park their vehicles in driveways or city lots and garages to keep the streets clear.
Of course, some welcomed the snow. Jon Lundin, spokesperson for the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, says more than 10,000 people visited Gore Mountain Saturday and Sunday while roughly 8,000 hit the slopes at Whiteface Mountain this weekend.
“Winter Storm Harper brought plenty of snow to Whiteface,” Lundin said. “Eighteen inches fell from the snow total and because of that we’ve been able to open up more terrain today. We’re skiing 79 trails and glades with eight lifts.”
While the snow stopped falling Sunday evening, temperatures dropped and the wind picked up. Monday’s highs were forecast to only reach about 5 above, with wind chill values near negative 30. Rosemary Riedhammer is the director of marketing and development for Shelters of Saratoga. She says the organization’s two Code Blue facilities are almost at the 54-person capacity.
“The main shelter is at Soul Saving Station Church on Henry Street in Saratoga [Springs], which can shelter up to 37 people,” Riedhammer says. “Additionally, we have an overflow shelter available if we need the additional cots at Presbyterian New England Congregational Church. We have seen our numbers rise over the last couple of days with the snow and the cold moving in. Additionally, we have our outreach teams out today working with people that do not want to be sheltered. We are distributing supplies such as blankets and coffee and food to those individuals and encouraging them to come inside. We have been working with local law enforcement – the county of Saratoga’s Sheriff Department and the City of Saratoga’s Police Department – to do welfare and health checks on those that we know would not like to come inside.”
Riedhammer says people can be placed in motels via the Department of Social Services if there is no room in the Code Blue shelters.
Fire officials say those using space heaters should use caution and make sure there is nothing near them that could catch fire. Albany’s Mayor Sheehan says residents should help to clear fire hydrants as well.
“If you have an elderly neighbor, somebody with a disability, check on them. Help to get shoveled out, the quicker you can get your sidewalks shoveled once the snow stops, the better it will be everybody, the kids are back to school on Tuesday, so we want to make sure those sidewalks are clear.”
Some relief is on the way, with sunny skies and temperatures expected to reach about 20 degrees Tuesday.
