Winter storm warnings: NYC schools closed in preparation for possible 'thunderstorm' nor'easter

Ahead of tonight's winter storm, New York City has a “code blue,” That means homeless people looking for a place to stay can't be denied shelters when they're in place.

New York City officials will run 24-hour drop-in centers and have volunteers contact vulnerable people and inform them of available resources.

New York City and parts of Long Island could see at least half a foot of snow, while parts of inland Connecticut and the Lower Hudson Valley could see a foot of snow on Tuesday.

Here's a map showing the latest forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).

All tractor-trailers are prohibited from traveling on highways across Connecticut in preparation for the blizzard.

Gov. Ned Lamont signed an order banning all tractor-trailers and empty tractor-trailers from traveling on all limited access highways statewide, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The ban will come into force from 12 midnight on Tuesday and will remain in force until further notice.

The coastal storm is expected to pack high winds and dump a foot or more of snow, which has already led to school closures, warnings against road travel and possible flight disruptions.

According to the National Weather Service, the northern suburbs of New York City and southwestern Connecticut are forecast to receive the highest snowfall amounts of 12 to 15 inches.

Wind gusts could reach 60 mph (100 kph) off the coast of Massachusetts and 40 mph (65 kph) inland in southern New England.

“It's going to make for a messy commute tomorrow morning,” said Christina Speciale, a meteorologist with the Weather Service in Albany, New York.

“It's a fast-moving storm, so things should be cleared by tomorrow afternoon.”

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey told all non-essential executive branch employees not to go to work on Tuesday. Boston schools were closed and a parking ban was in effect. Similar closures and restrictions were imposed in other cities and towns. Emergency officials had equipment to help keep roads clear.

Ahead of tonight's winter storm, New York City has a “code blue,” That means homeless people looking for a place to stay can't be denied shelters when they're in place.

New York City officials will run 24-hour drop-in centers and have volunteers contact vulnerable people and inform them of available resources.

New York Mayor Eric Adams reiterated his warning to New Yorkers to stay off the roads unnecessarily ahead of heavy snow.

Mr Adams said his office had been monitoring the forecast since last week and “all our teams are ready”.

“Avoid unnecessary driving, especially during the morning commute. If you have to leave your home, use public transport,” he said.

New York City could see 5-8 inches of snow from this week's winter storm, according to the National Weather Service.

If the Big Apple receives at least six inches, it will be the city's heaviest snowfall since January 2022. CNN reports.

For nearly two years, New York City hasn't seen recordable snow. Last month, when a nationwide winter storm swept through the Northeast, they overcame many cities without snow.